1^ 



BATTERY F, 

First Regiment 
Rhode Island Light Artillery, 



CIVIL WAR, 

1861-186^. 



BY yv*' 
PHILIP S. CHASE, 

Late Second Lieutenant in. the Battery. 



( /^a- ^7 j892 ^) 



PROVIDENCE : 

Snow & Farnham, Printers, 

1S92. 



L 



Entered according- to act of Congress, in the year 1S92 
By PHILIP S. CHASE, 

in llic ollke of tlie Librarian of Congress, at Washington. 



l';.litii.n liMiiled to three lunuhea ami fifty copies 



PREFACE, 



THE reason for the existence of this book is an 
expressed desire on the part of many survivors 
of the battery whose history it attempts to record, 
manifested at an informal reunion held in February, 
1891, that an account of their experiences during the 
Civil War of 1 861-5 should be put in enduring form. 
The duty of preparing such record seemed to fall 
upon me, without, however, formal appointment. 

At a second meeting held in February, 1892, 
Simeon Gallup and Edward Wilcox were appointed 
to advise with me in adopting and publishing the 
record. My thanks are due to these comrades for 
valuable advice and assistance ; and to all who in 
any way assisted in the work I am grateful. 

The publishing of the history would have been a 
difficult task .but for the action of the General 



iv PREFACE. 

Assembly at its January session, 1891, in passing 

a Resolution (No. 14) to purchase two hundred copies 

of any battery history published to the satisfaction 

of the Secretary of State. 

The work is a plain statement of facts connected 

with the service of the organization, and if it proves 

satisfactory in a reasonable degree to the survivors 

and the public, I shall feel fully compensated for 

the labor. 

P. S. C. 

Providence, R. I., October, 1S92. 



CONTENTS 



Chapter I. 

PAGE. 

Organization — Recruiting Excursions in Rhode Island — 
Camp Sprague, Washington, D. C — Camp California, 
Virginia, i 

Chapter II. 
Burnside's Coast Division — Annapolis, Md. — Sea Voyage 
to Hatteras Inlet — Ashore on Hatteras — Roanoke 
Island, 15 

Chapter III. 
New Berne, N. C, its Capture and Occupation — Duty as 

Cavalry, 32 

Chapter IV. 
Raids and Expeditions in Nortli Carolina, . . . .50 

Chapter V. 
From New Berne, X. C., to Newport News, Va., . . loi 

Chapter \'I. 
Newport News, Va. — Point Lookout, Md. — Yorktown, Va., no 

Chapter Vll. 
Bermuda Hundred and Drury's Bluft", . • • • 15^ 



Vi CONTEXTS. 

Chapter VIII. page. 

In the Works at Bermuda Hundred — The Advance on 

Petersburg, ...•••■••" 
Chapter IX. 
In the Intrenched Line Before Petersburg, • • • ^95 

Chapter X. 
From Petersburg to Chaffin's Farm— Muster Out of Orig- 
mal Men, ..•.•■• 

Chapter XI. 
From October, 1S64, to Muster Out, June, 1S65, . • ^36 



Roster, . • . . ■ • • • --r^ 

Roster of Temporarily Attached Mex, ■ ■ . ^bo 

-,5- 
Mortuary Record. " "^ 



APPENDIX. 
Four Months a Prisoner of War, bv Lieutenant, subse- 

quently Captain, Thomas Simpson -'^1 

A Summer in Southern Prisons, bv Private Charles C 

Vars, of the Batterv, 3i3 



LLUSTRATIONS. 



Portrait of Capt. James Belger, 
Portrait of Lieut. Charles H. Pope, 
Portrait of Lieut. George W. Field. 
Landing of Horses at Hatteras, 
Q^iarters of Battery at New Berne, 
Portrait of Capt. E. L. Cortliell, Sergean 

until October, 1S62, 
Portrait of Lieut. Peter C. Smith, 
Portrait of Sergt. William IL C. Smith. 
Portrait of Corp. George C. Manchester, 
Portrait of Lieut. Philip S. Chase, 
Portrait of Dr. Albert Potter, Surgeon Fifi 

Heavy Artillery-, .... 
Portrait of First Sergt. Simeon Gallup, 
Portrait of Corp. John O. Winsor, 
Portrait of Corp. Edward Wilcox, 
View from the Battery Qiiarters at Fort Yo 
Portrait of Corp. Clovis Stone, 
Portrait of Bugiei" Thomas W. Locke, 



FAGE. 

Frontispiece. 
6 
23 

39 



t in Batte 



rv F 



1 Rhode I.' 



land 



ktown. 



45 
53 

57 
63 

S7 

95 
104 
loS 

"3 
iiS 
121 
143 



Vlll 



ILLUSTRATIONS. 



Portrait of Bugler William II. Young, 
Portrait of Sergt. Albert R. Walker, . 
Portrait of Corp. Joseph Church, Jr., 
Portrait of Corp. Albert C. Leach, 
Portrait of Corp. Frederic Wilcox, 
Portrait of Private Henry C. Wilkie, . 
Portrait of Sergt. William J. Bastian, 
Portrait of Capt. Thomas Simpson, 
Portrait of Lieut. Gideon Spencer, 
Portrait of Lieut. Frank A. Waterman, 



PAGE. 
146 

166 
192 
202 
211 
226 

242 

247 



MAPS. 

Roanoke Island, N. C, 

Battlefield of New Berne, N. C, 

New Berne, N. C., 

North Carolina, .... 

\Vashington, N. C, 

Drurv's Blutrand Petersburg, 



Facing page 30 

" 36 

" 48 

68 

•• 84 

'• " 160 



CHAPTER 1, 



Organization. — Recruiting Excursions in Rhode 
Island— Camp Sprague, Washington, D. C— 
Camp California, Virginia. 

TN October, 1861, Battery F, First Regiment Rhode 
Island Light Artillery was organized. It was 
recruited as the "Seventh Rhode Island Battery," 
but on muster into service was designated by the 
letter. During the first three years of its service it 
was better known as " Belger's Rhode Island Bat- 
tery." The men were enlisted under the call of the 
President of the United States for volunteers to 
serve for three years or during the war. The ren- 
dezvous during the organization was Camp Perry, 
located on the west bank of Mashapaug pond in 
Cranston, R. I. 



2 BATTERY F, 

To facilitate recruiting and for the purpose of 
creating enthusiasm for the artillery branch of the 
service, excursions from Camp Perry were made in 
three directions during the month of October, 1861. 
One party consisting of two guns, with men and 
horses, commanded by Lieut. Thomas Simpson, 
visited villages on the line of the Blackstone River, 
going as far as Woonsocket. Another consisting of 
one gun and caisson fully manned, also commanded 
by Lieutenant Simpson, traveled through the eastern 
part of the State. This detachment encamped one 
night in each of the following towns, viz. : Warren, 
Bristol, Tiverton, Portsmouth and Little Compton. 
Exhibitions of light artillery drill were given and 
salutes fired in each place which were witnessed by 
large numbers of the citizens. 

These journeys throughout the State were indeed 
pleasure excursions for those participating. The 
patriotism and excitement of the people led to the 
entertainment of the party all along the route. 
Dinners and suppers were given by prominent citi- 
zens, to which all the men were invited, and at which 
addresses full of patriotism and loyalty to the Union, 
and confidence in an early settlement of the difficulty 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. 3 

were delivered. To illustrate the popular feeling at 
that time some of the experiences of the command 
which visited the eastern portion of the State, as 
related by one of the number, are here given : 

" Leaving Camp Perry, Tuesday, October 22, 1861, 
the command marched to Warren, R. I., and en- 
camped. Wednesday it proceeded to Bristol and 
encamped on the 'Common.' Salutes were fired and 
an exhibition drill given, including dismounting and 
mounting of guns and carriages, which was witnessed 
by a large and enthusiastic gathering. Thursday 
afternoon we proceeded on our journey, passing- 
through Fall River, Mass., and encamped that night 
in the suburbs of that city, on the Rhode Island side 
of the line. The night was bitter cold, and, not pre- 
pared for unusual weather, we had our first expe- 
rience in camp life under unfavorable circumstances. 
Some of the residents of that vicinity, upon viewing 
their fences and wood-piles the next morning, were 
no doubt v^ery grateful that our orders prevented us 
from stopping with them longer. Friday morning 
we marched to Portsmouth, arriving at the village of 
Newtown about noon, where the command was sump- 
tuously entertained by the town clerk, Philip B. 



4 BATTERY F, 

Chase, Esq., at his residence. At night we en- 
camped in Fort Butts, an extensive earthwork of 
Revolutionary times, located on a hill about one and 
a half miles southerly from Bristol Ferry. The 
memory of scenes enacted on this spot, as described 
in history, served to increase the patriotism of our 
little band and strengthen the determination to do 
all in our power for the preservation of the country 
in its time of peril. Saturday morning we proceeded 
to Tiverton Four Corners, where we were again en- 
tertained, this time by Holder N. Wilcox, Esq., at 
his residence. Two of his sons became members of 
the battery, one of whom was severely wounded at 
Drewry's Bluff, May, i6, 1864. After firing the 
usual salute the command proceeded to Little Comp- 
ton Commons, pitched the tents and prepared to 
spend Sunday with the people of that village. In 
the evening we were taken to the Town Hall where 
a fine collation was served. 

"I think it was the intention of Lieutenant Simp- 
son to visit Newport before returning to Providence, 
or Camp Perr)', but orders received Sunday after- 
noon to return at once to Providence, prevented, and 
we were obliged to disturb the quiet of a Sunday 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. 5 

afternoon in the country, by immediately breaking 
camp and commencing the return march. The com- 
mand arrived in Swansea that night, just after the 
close of the evening meetings, and obtaining permis- 
sion picketed the horses in a church-yard, and the men 
occupied the church as barracks. The command 
arrived at Camp Perry, Monday, October 28th, and 
as there were men in the battery from the places 
visited, the command should be considered as having 
successfully accomplished its object." 

The third expedition visited the villages in the 
Pawtuxet valley, under the command of Lieut. 
Charles H. Pope. 

The public sentiment of the State was well shown 
by the reception tendered these parties. The promi- 
nent residents of each locality visited by these com- 
mands did their utmost to entertain and encourasre, 
and in so doing impressed upon all the fact that the 
people of Rhode Island were in earnest, and that the 
State should do its full share in suppressing the 
Rebellion which at that time had assumed such a 
threatening attitude. 

A sufficient number had been recruited, and, in the 
latter part of October, 1861, the battery was ordered 



BATTERY F, 



to proceed to Camp Sprague, Washington, D. C. 
On the twenty-eighth day of October, at Camp 
Perry, the one hundred and thirty-eight enlisted men 
present, constituting Battery F, First Rhode Island 




Lieut. Charles H. Pope. 

Light Artillery, were mustered into the United 
States Service by Col. Charles H. Tompkins, e.xcept- 
ing a few who had been previously mustered. 

The first commissioned officers were : Captain 
Miles G. Moies ; First Lieutenants Charles H. 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. / 

Pope and George W. Field ; Second Lieutenants 
Thomas Simpson and William A. Arnold. 

The men were sent to Washington in two detach- 
ments. The first left Providence under command of 
First Lieutenant Pope, Monday, October 28th, via 
Stonington Line to New York, Camden and Amboy 
Railroad to Philadelphia, and by rail via Baltimore to 
Washington. 

The second followed under command of Captain 
Moies, on Tuesday, October 29th, over the same 
route. These detachments arrived at Camp Sprague 
October 30th and 31st, respectively, and occupied 
the barracks built for the First Rhode Island 
Battery. 

Soon after arrival at Camp Sprague the appoint- 
ment of non-commissioned officers was made as fol- 
lows, some of whom had acted under detail since 
before leaving Camp Perry in Rhode Island : 

Alexander M. Massie, , . First Sergeant. 
Walter M. Knight, Quartermaster-Sergeant. 
Peter C. Smith, .... Sergeant. 
William C. M. Church, . . " 

Elmer L. Corthell, ... " 



BATTERY F, 



George Hammond, . . . Sergeant. 

Charles E. Guild, 

Benjamin H. Draper, 

Frederick Chase, . . . Corporal. 

Philip S. Chase, . 

Benjamin H. Rogers, 

Frank Prentice, . 

Matthew Sweet, . 

Elisha a. Slocum, 

Solomon Loid, 

Benjamin F. Marti ndale, 

Levi S. Wheaton, 

Simeon Gallup, 

Isaac N. Gage, 

William H. C. Smith, 

Several changes in the non-commissioned officers 
were made soon after Captain Belger took command. 

Captain Moies resigned his commission about the 
1 2th of November, 1861, leaving h^irst Lieut. Charles 
H. Pope in command until the arrival, on the 
22d of November, of Capt. James Belger, who had 
been commissioned in the regiment and assigned to 
Battery F. 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. 9 

Four of the commissioned officers had seen service 
previous to their connection with Battery F, viz. : 
Captain Belger had served ten years in the United 
States Army in the First Artillery, eight years of 
that time as sergeant and first sergeant of Magru- 
der's Battery, and seven years of his service in 
California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas in Indian 
warfare. At the battle of Bull Run, July 21, 1861, 
he was chief of the right piece, left section, Rickett's 
Battery. He was honorably discharged from the 
First United States Artillery, at Poolesville, Md., 
Sept. 28, 1 86 1, by reason of expiration of term of 
service. His appointment as captain in the First 
Rhode Island Light Artillery dated from Oct. 17, 
1 86 1. First Lieut. Charles H. Pope had served 
in the three months' campaign of the First Rhode 
Island Light Battery as quartermaster-sergeant and 
first lieutenant. First Lieut. George W. Field 
had served as corporal in Battery A, since June 6, 
1 86 1, including Bull Run, July 21, 1861, and was 
promoted to Battery F from that battery. Second 
Lieut. Thomas Simpson was a corporal in the 
First Rhode Island Light Battery. Thus it will be 
seen that Battery F entered upon its service with 



lO BATTERY F, 

unusually favorable conditions regarding experience 
of officers. 

Soon after the arrival of Captain Belger the 
battery was supplied with four ten-pounder Parrott 
guns, two twelve-pounder howitzers, and a full com- 
plement of horses. The first day's experience with 
the horses "hitched up" will not soon be forgotten 
by those who were participants. The horses were 
new in the business, so were the men, and there 
occurred many perplexing and ludicrous as well as 
serious situations. An occasional balky horse hitched 
in a string with a wild one, and these horses mounted 
by men who perhaps knew little or nothing about 
horses, formed a combination from which it can 
readily be seen chaos was more likely to exist than 
order. All who had any part in the work of first 
drilling new horses and new men as a light battery 
will probably agree that it was not only laborious but 
oftentimes dangerous to life and limb. 

Captain Belger had very decided opinions of dis- 
cipline and at once commenced the work of placing 
the battery in a state of proficiency in drill, etc., for 
effective work. 

An incident occurred Thanksgiving day, 1861, 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. II 

which impressed upon those connected with it the 
fact that they must recognize discipline and acknowl- 
edge that they were not free to do as they desired 
without permission of commanding officers. The in- 
fluence as a result of this incident probably extended 
beyond the small number directly implicated, and 
gave the officers an excellent opportunity to "nip in 
the bud" any feeling of insubordination, although in 
a mild form, which might be lurking among the men 
of the battery. It was a trivial, harmless thing in 
itself, but if allowed to pass unnoticed might have 
been followed by acts more serious, and in a short 
time the efficiency and reliability of the battery 
would have been impaired. 

It happened, very naturally, that on the morning of 
Thanksgiving day a large number of the men desired 
to visit Washington, and notice was given for those 
who wished passes for that purpose to send their 
names to the first sergeant. A comparatively small 
number of passes were issued. The unsuccessful ap- 
plicants decided not to be imposed upon, and some 
six or eight determined to go to the city without a 
pass. They were successful in passing out of camp 
and reaching the city, and, after visiting the capitol. 



12 BATTERY F, 

Started down Pennsylvania avenue with a good deal 
of confidence and boldness, probably intending to do 
the city thoroughly, and undoubtedly feeling contempt 
for passes, when suddenly they were halted by a 
squad of armed men in charge of a sergeant, who de- 
manded to see their passes. Here was a dilemma, 
but one of the number proved equal to the occasion 
by answering that "Our colonel is coming and has 
them." The sergeant ordered them to wait for the 
" colonel," and his squad would keep them company. 
While waiting a soldier, who had been imbibing freely 
of " commissary," appeared on the scene, and, while 
the guard was occupied in attending to his case, our 
party, with spirits somewhat dampened and de- 
pressed, suddenly determined to return to camp. 
They were successful in passing all obstructions, 
reaching their quarters from the rear of the camp, 
and supposed they had made their little excursion 
without the knowledge of the officers. They were 
considerably astonished on being summoned to head- 
quarters to learn that the captain knew of their ab- 
sence, and probably still more so when he, in the 
presence of the officers, administered a reprimand in 
language not to be forgotten. Undoubtedly this 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. 1 3 

little affair in its results exerted an influence through- 
out the battery which continued as long as the men 
familiar with it remained. 

Life at Camp Sprague passed pleasantly with its 
daily drills and ceremonies, and soon the men became 
accustomed to the horses and the horses familiar 
with the work, so that it was possible to make a 
creditable appearance on drill and occasions of cere- 
mony. 

The battery remained at Camp Sprague until the 
second day of December, 1861, about one month, 
when it crossed Long Bridge, and many stood for the 
first time upon the "sacred soil of Virginia." Pass- 
ing through Alexandria tents were pitched at Camp 
California, General Sumner's division, located a short 
distance to the left and in advance of Fort Worth, 
near Cloud's Mills. 

While at Camp California the sound of the " long 
roll" and "boots and saddles " at night greeted the 
men for the first time. Dec. 18, 1861, after taps, 
when most of the men were asleep in their tents, the 
drums in the infantry camps beat the long roll, and 
the buglers of the battery immediately sounded " boots 
and saddles." All was excitement, although there 



14 BATTERY F. 

was no confusion, and the short time occupied in 
hitching up and moving out on the road, prepared 
for any duty that might be required, was very satis- 
factory to all. The battery moved to the front, took 
position on Edsall's Hill, so called, and remained 
until the morning of the 19th, when it returned to 
camp, having neither seen nor heard of an enemy. 

To most of the men this was a long, tedious, un- 
comfortable night, and, occuring early in their expe- 
perience, was thought by them to be severe. No 
blankets or rations were taken ; the night was chilly, 
although pleasant, and standing by the guns under 
such circumstances with no excitement to occupy 
their attention, men would magnify the discomforts 
of an experience which later on would not have been 
considered worth mentionins:. 



CHAPTER 



Burnside's Coast Division. — AiNnapglis, Md — 
Sea Voyage to Hatteras Inlet — Ashore on 
Hatteras — Roanoke Island. 

DURING the latter part of October, 1861, Brig.- 
Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside was ordered to or- 
ganize a "coast division" and assemble the troops at 
Annapolis, Md. The troops were to be recruited 
largely from New England, but as finally organized 
at Annapolis, the division consisted of five Massa- 
chusetts regiments of infantry, three Connecticut, 
three New York, two Rhode Island, and one each 
New Hampshire, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, with 
Belger's Rhode Island Battery. 

Dec. 21, 1 86 1, the battery broke camp at Camp 
California, in compliance with the following order : 



l6 BATTERY F, 

Headquarters Army of the Potomac, 

Washixgtox. Dec. 20. 1861. 
Special Orders, J^'o. 193. 

III. Battery F, Rhode Island Light Artillery, Captain 
Bclgcr, is assigned to Burnside's division, which it will 
proceed to join at Annapolis, Maryland, without delay. 

By command of Major-General McCLELLAX, 

(Signed,) S. Williams, 

Assistant Adjntant General. 
Official. 

Alex. S. Webb, 

Major and Assistant to Chief of Arfi/iery. 

It returned to Washington over the same road 
upon which it marched to Camp California nineteen 
days before, and crossing Long Bridge, bivouacked 
for the night near the unfinished Washington Monu- 
ment. The first serious casualty in the battery oc- 
curred during the march to Washington on that day, at 
Alexandria, Va. The horse which the blacksmith, 
Joseph L. Straight, was riding was run down by two 
apparently unmanageable horses, ridden by officers 
coming from the direction of Washington, injuring 
the blacksmith so severely as to necessitate leaving 



FIRST R. I. LICHT ARTILLERY. VJ 

him in hospital at Alexandria, resulting finally in his 
discharge from the service April 29, 1862. 

The next day, Sunday, December 22d, the battery 
was loaded on cars and taken to Annapolis, Md. 
Arriving early in the evening, the cars were unloaded 
and the men quartered in tents on the Naval Acad- 
emy grounds. No intimation was given that these 
tents were pitched for practice only, therefore the 
pins driven very lightly, and it being dark when the 
men were shown the tents, that fact was not dis- 
covered, until, during the night a severe storm of 
wind and rain arose, and many of the tents blew 
down. The men had worked hard during the day — 
to load and unload a six-gun battery, with its 
horses and baggage, both in one day, was not an easy 
task, — and they anticipated a night's rest, in tents 
pitched for them, with great satisfaction ; but antici- 
pation and realization proved quite different, as in- 
stead of the expected rest a large portion of the night 
was spent by the men in hunting for a dry spot. 

The next day the men were quartered in a college 
building, where they remained until the twenty-sixth 
of December, when the battery moved out of the city 
about one and a half miles and went into camp. 



l8 BATTERY F, 

naming the spot in honor of the captain, Camp Bel- 
ger. Tents were pitched and made comfortable for 
the men, and a shelter of pine boughs, cut from the 
woods adjoining the camp, built for the horses, which 
proved some protection, but the animals were far 
from being properly housed as the weather was quite 
severe during the fourteen days and nights in this 
camp. 

Jan. 9, 1862, the battery returned to Annapolis for 
the purpose of embarking on the Burnside Expedi- 
tion. For some unexplained reason it remained on 
shore that night, and was again assigned to the tents 
on the Academy grounds. The experiences of its pre- 
vious attempted occupancy of these tents were re- 
peated, viz.: a storm of wind and rain, many of the 
tents blown down, and a large number of the men 
looking for shelter. 

The next day, January loth, the battery embarked, 
the men and horses on the side-wheel steamer George 
Peabody ; the pieces, battery wagon, forge, etc., on 
schooner Jajnes T. Brady. The George Peabody 
sailed from Annapolis for Hampton Roads on the 
morning of the i ith of January. At Hampton Roads 
sealed orders as to destination were given the 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. I9 

commander of the steamer, to be opened when at 
sea. The George Peabody was probably one of the 
last vessels of the fleet to reach the rendezvous, pos- 
sibly the last with troops on board, so that when it 
arrived off Fortress Monroe nearly all the vessels of 
the fleet had sailed. 

The land force of the expedition "numbered 
twelve thousand strong. For the transportation of 
the troops and their material, forty-si.x vessels were 
employed", eleven of which were steamers. To these 
were added nine armed propellers to act as gun-boats, 
and five barges fitted and armed as floating batteries, 
carrying altogether forty-seven guns, mostly of small 
calibre. These formed the army division of the fleet, 
and were commanded by Commander Samuel F. 
Hazard. A fleet of twenty vessels, of different 
sizes, mostly of light draft, for the navigation of Al- 
bemarle and Pamlico sounds, but carrying a heavy 
armament of fifty-five guns, accompanied the expe- 
dition, under the command of Flag Officer Louis M. 
Goldsborough." * 

General Burnside stated in a paper on the Burnside 
Expedition that his headquarters were established on 

* Burnside arid the Ninth Army Corps, by Augustus Woodbury. 



20; BATTERY F, 

the large steamer George Peabody ; "but I took for 
my headquarters during the voyage a small propeller 
called the Picket, which was in reality the smallest 
vessel in the fleet, and had with me two or three of 
my staff officers. I was moved to do this because of 
the great criticism which had been made as to the 
unseaworthiness of the vessels of the fleet, and be- 
cause of a desire to show to the men my faith in their 
adaptability to the service." 

The George Peabody sailed from Hampton Roads 
on the 1 2th of January. The Picket with General 
Burnside on board sailed the same day, about an hour 
in advance. When off Cape Henry the sealed orders 
were opened, and it was then learned that the fleet 
would rendezvous at Hatteras Inlet for service in the 
sounds of North Carolina. The passage from Fort- 
ress Monroe to Hatteras was attended by rough 
weather. Numerous accounts of the storm which 
overtook the Burnside Expedition have been written 
and published. On the George Peabody the scenes 
enacted during the voyage partook somewhat of the 
ludicrous as well as the serious. Most of the men of 
the battery were taking their first sea voyage and ex- 
perienced the usual consequences. 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. 21 

As stated above, the gunboat Picket, Capt. Thomas 
P. Ives, sailed from Hampton Roads about an hour 
in advance of the George Peabody, on the 12th of 
January, with General Burn side on board. About 
two o'clock on the morning of the 13th the latter 
overhauled her off Cape Hatteras. A heavy sea 
was running, the result of the storm which scat- 
tered the fleet, and it was deemed prudent for the 
larger vessel to remain by the Picket until daylight 
before attempting to round the cape. No member of 
the battery will forget the commanding appearance 
of General Burnside, as he stood upon the forward 
deck of the Picket in the early morning of the 
13th while the crew of the Peabody were passing a 
line to the Picket to take her in tow. The situation 
and conditions were such that no one who was able to 
stand on his feet and respond to the call to give the 
general three cheers will ever forget the scene. 

The Picket was taken in tow by the George Pea- 
body, both vessels arrived at Hatteras Inlet in safety 
on the 13th, crossed the bar and came to anchor 
in the sound. It was a singular coincidence that 
the George Peabody, upon which General Burn- 
side states that he first established his headquarters, 



22 BATTERY F, 

then for certain reasons characteristic of the general 
changed to tht Picket, should be the vessel to tow the 
Picket, with the general on board, to the safety of 
the sounds, overhauling it off Hatteras when rolling 
very uncomfortably, not to say dangerously. The 
terrible storm which caused so much damage to the 
fleet and anxiety for its safety at the North, had 
broken upon the expedition. "The steamer City of 
N'ezv York, loaded with ammunition, the Pocaliontas 
with horses" and forage belonging to the Fourth 
Rhode Island Infantry, "went ashore and were lost ; 
the gunboat Zouave dragged her anchors and was 
wrecked; the floating battery GrapesJiot was swamped, 
and one or two schooners loaded with forage and pro- 
visions were driven upon the beach." * 

The battery remained on board the steamer much 
longer than was originally intended or provided for, 
and, as it was impossible to replenish the commissary 
department the supply of rations and water, also 
forage for the animals ran short, and the inevitable 
result followed, viz. : men and horses were placed 
upon s'.iort rations ; the allowance per man was a half 
pint of water and a few hard tack and occasionally a 

* Hurnsiiit- anJ the NinDi Army Corps, liy Aujj;iislus Woodbury. 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY 



23 



ration of coffee. The water was measured as care- 
fully as would have been the most expensive luxury 
of a soldier's ration. It is amusing to recall the first 
issue of rations after the stock had been replenished. 




Lieut. George W. Field. 

It consisted of the usual hard tack, a thick slice of 
raw pork, very fat, and a little molasses. Men who, 
a few weeks before would not have thought it possi- 
ble, ate the raw pork and molasses with apparent 
relish 



24 BATTERY F, 

During the time tlie battery remained on board 
the George Peabody it was of course necessary to 
have a small boat if the ofificers wished to do any vis- 
iting, and Captain Belger organized a "boat's crew" 
from the battery, borrowed one of the steamer's 
boats, and was able to go about from vessel to vessel 
with almost as much style as the naval portion of the 
expedition. This was known among the men as the 
" captain's gig," and the improvised crew were em- 
ployed many hours in pulling about the inlet while 
their comrades remained confined to the steamer's 
decks. But it was not always an easy or agreeable 
task, for the winds did blow at Hatteras, and some- 
times the rains suddenly fell, and then the "crew" 
would have gladly changed jDlaces with their com- 
rades on the steamer. 

While the expedition was being organized there 
was naturally great anxiety in the South to learn 
what particular point on the coast would be its desti- 
nation. Emissaries at Washington sent frequent 
dispatches to rebel officers claiming to have discov- 
ered positive evidence as to the objective point. 
Dec. 28, 1 86 1, an unknown writer in Washington, 
D. C.,to Gen. J. IC. Johnston said : " Burnside's fleet is 



FIRST K. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. 2$ 

to engage the batteries on the Potomac, and McClel- 
lan & Co. will move on Centreville and Manassas. 
This move will be made next week." Maj.-Gen. T. 
H. Holmes (Confederate) wrote from Brook Station, 
Jan. 2, 1862, to the adjutant-general at Richmond : 
" Am fearful that Burnside's Expedition will land be- 
low here for the purpose of marching on Fredericks- 
burg." Gen. J. E. B. Stewart, on the 9th of Janu- 
ary, 1S62, wrote to Gen. D. H. Hill : "The Potomac 
Burnside fleet has not yet developed itself, but we are 
all anxiously expectant. McClellan's illness delays its 
operations, doubtless." Under date of Jan. 14, 1862, 
Gen. J. E. Johnston wrote to the Confederate secre- 
tary of war, "I have hitherto regarded these changes 
as impracticable, because unsafe, and shall so regard 
them until the destination of the Burnside Expedi- 
tion is known." Other letters and reports written at 
the time all point to the lower Potomac as the ex- 
pected point of attack by the Burnside E.xpedition, 
and apparently its real destination was kept a secret. 
On the 2 1st of January the George Peabody steamed 
as near the shore as possible — there were no landing 
places — and, much to the satisfaction and comfort of 
men and animals, the battery disembarked on Hatte- 



26 BATTERY F. 

ras Island. It was a difficult and laborious task. 
The horses were landed by throwing them overboard 
and towing them ashore by means of heaving lines, 
one end around the neck of the horse, the other held 
in a small boat, which was rowed back and forth from 
steamer to shore. This work occupied nearly an 
entire day, but was accomplished without loss or 
accident. 

Hatteras Inlet with its two forts, Clark and Hatte- 
ras, had been captured in August, 1861, by a com- 
bined military and naval force under Gen. Benjamin 
F. Butler and Commodore Stringham, and, at the time 
the battery landed, Brig.-Gen. Thomas Williams with 
a brigade of infantry was in command. Camp Win- 
field, the name given this encampment, was located 
about three miles up the island from Fort Hatteras. 
January 22d, the battery pitched its tents at Camp 
Winfield, and was placed in General Williams's com- 
mand. The duties at this point were light; occa- 
sionally General Williams ordered brigade drill, and 
always included the battery. It was difficult to con- 
form to all the movements of the infantry on these 
drills, but the difficulties were overcome by the gen- 
eral excusing the battery from executing any order 



28 BATTERY F, 

for movement of the brigade which did not and could 
not be applied to light artillery. 

Camp Winfield was very sandy, in fact all of Hat- 
teras Island visited by the battery was sandy. The 
water was bad, and as a result considerable sickness 
developed among the men. It was here that the first 
death of a member of the battery occurred at or near 
the camp. Private Alonzo C. Horton died February 
19th, of inflammation of the brain, and was buried 
with military honors on the 20th in the church-yard 
on the island. Private Henry B. Baxter died at An- 
napolis, Md., on the 5th of February, but that fact 
was not known at the battery at the time of Mor- 
ton's decease, and he was looked upon as the first 
man mustered out by death. 

The battery remained at Camp Winfield until the 
26th of February, about five weeks, at which time it 
was ordered to reembark. The tents were struck, 
baggage packed and all property moved to the inlet 
on that day, but for some reason the men were obliged 
to remain on the beach that night. A heavy storm 
of rain and wind prevailed, and, being almost entirely 
without shelter, for it was impossible to pitch a tent 
that would withstand the force of the wind, the night 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. 29 

proved extremely uncomfortable. On the 27th of 
February the steamer Chancellor Livingston, formerly 
a ferry boat in New York harbor, drew up to the 
landing and the battery was put on board, after which 
she steamed over the swash and came to anchor in 
the sound. The wind blew furiously during the 
night — when did not the wind blow furiously at Hat- 
teras .^ — the steamer was heavily loaded, the sea 
struck with such force under the guards that it 
seemed almost impossible for her to withstand the 
battering. A leak was discovered early in the even- 
ing, from which water made so rapidly that it became 
necessary to work the pumps constantly to keep the 
water down. Reliefs from the men of the battery 
were organized for that purpose, and the pumping con- 
tinued steadily all night. The men were very much 
fatigued as a result of the work performed in breaking 
camp and moving property to the inlet on the 26th ; 
the exposure on the beach in the storm on the night 
of the 26th ; the loading of the battery and property 
on the steamer during the 27th ; and to be prevented 
from securing the needed rest on the night of the 27th 
by the storm and its effects upon the steamer, and 
the orders to keep the pumps working all night, was 



30 BATTERY F, 

considered at the time something of a hardship ; but 
with the morning" of the 28th came a lull in the 
storm, and, with the sea comparatively calm, the ne- 
cessity for pumping ceased, then, as there was no 
particular duty to perform, opportunity for rest came, 
which was improved by all. 

The steamer arrived off Pork Point, Roanoke Is- 
land, opposite General Burnside's headquarters, March 
2d, with apparently no intention of landing the bat- 
tery. There was on board this ferry-boat a light bat- 
tery of six guns, with battery wagon, forge, baggage 
wagon, horses, in fact a fully equipped battery of 
light artillery, and the crowded condition caused the 
following letter to headquarters : 

" Head(,)Uarters Battery F, istReg't. R. I. Lt. Art'y. 
Steamer Chancellor Livingston, 

Roanoke Island, March 4, 1862. 

Capt. L. Richmond, Assis/auf Adjiitaiit General. Depaii- 
Die/if of Xorth Carolina. 

Sir : I ha\'e the lioiior to request that measures be 
taken as soon as possible to reheve the men and liorsesof 
111}' battery, now al)oard the* Lh<i)ii:;stoii. My men are suf- 
fering for the want of a place to sleep and cook in ; my 
horses, one huiulred and nineteen, for the want of forage 
and a place to stand. I rendered requisitions to the di- 



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FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. 3 1 

vision quartermaster for forage yesterday, and it has not 
been supplied. It is very necessary that something 
should be done at once, or my men and horses will be un- 
fit for active service if kept aboard this steamer. 
I am, sir, very respectfully. 

Your obedient servant, 

JAS. BELGER, 
Captain Conunandiiig Battery F^ 

As a result of the above letter, a number of the 
men and horses were ordered on shore, on Roanoke 
Island, where they remained until the nth of March, 
when they were placed on board the schooner 
Crocker, which was taken in tow through the sounds 
towards New Berne, N. C. 

The experiences of the battery thus far on the 
Burnside Expedition had not been entirely as ex- 
pected. The storms at the outset caused a much 
longer stay on the steamer George Peabody than was 
intended ; the battery was put ashore at Hatteras 
instead of going with the troops to Roanoke Island ; 
it was again crowded on a steamer and sent to Roa- 
noke some time after the capture of the island, so 
that the discomforts and dangers thus far had come 
from the stormy seas, and the excitement and experi- 
ence of battle were still unknown to most of the men. 



CHAPTER 



New Berne — Its Capture and Occupation — 
Duty as Cavalry. 

THE force intended for the attack upon New 
Berne, N. C, sailed from Roanoke Island on the 
nth of March, anchoring off the mouth of Hatteras 
Inlet in Pamlico Sound during the night of the nth. 
The battery, part on the steamer CJiancellor Living- 
ston and part on the schooner Crocker, was a portion 
of the force. 

On the morning of the 12th, the fleet of transports 
with the naval escort sailed from Hatteras, taking 
course for the mouth of the Neuse River, and it was 
then evident to all that New Berne was the objective 
point. The vessels in the naval escort numbered 
fourteen. The passage of the fleet through tlie 
sound and up the Neuse River was a delightful trip. 
The weather was warm and pleasant, the sea calm, 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. ^;}) 

and the disposition of the vessels, the gun-boats in 
advance occasionally throwing a shell into the woods 
on either side of the river, the transports following 
in order by brigades, was a pleasing picture which 
impressed those participating, and had the effect of 
creating enthusiasm among the troops. 

Towards night of the 12th the fleet arrived off 
Slocum's Creek, about sixteen miles from New Berne, 
and came to anchor. The nisrht v/as in strikins^ 
contrast with the day, for during the latter part of 
the afternoon the sky became cloudy, the weather 
was thick and black and rain fell throughout the 
night. At eight o'clock the next morning the sun 
shone out again, and at about nine o'clock the in- 
fantry commenced landing, which was accomplished 
by transferring the men from the steamers and sail- 
ing vessels to the launches, which were taken in tow 
by the steam-tugs, each tug taking a long line of 
these boats. At a signal the tugs steamed as near the 
shore as they could float, the momentum gained 
thereby sent the barges forward until they grounded, 
when the men jumped into the water, generally 
about waist deep, and waded ashore. During the 



34 BATTERY F, 

landing the gun-boats steamed slowly up the river, 
shelling the woods, receiving no reply. 

The schooner Crocker, with a part of the battery on 
board (transferred to her at Roanoke Island), in at- 
tempting to enter the creek ran aground, and, although 
tugs were brought to her assistance, night came and 
the vessel remained stuck in the mud. Early on the 
morning of the 14th the schooner was floated, and as 
the forces on shore had advanced, instead of landing 
at Slocum's Creek the vessel was towed two or three 
miles further up the river, and a landing made simi- 
lar to that at Hatteras, viz., by jumping the horses 
overboard and towing them ashore, and rafting the 
pieces and caissons by means of a platform built on 
two yawls lashed together, until the boats grounded, 
then drawing the carriages ashore by hand. 

This method of landing a light battery was, to say 
the least, slow and tedious business ; but the men 
worked with a will, and soon material enough was on 
shore to fit out a section, which, with First Lieut. 
George W. Field in command, was started for the 
front. After the material was on shore, it was tedi- 
ous and vexatious work getting in condition to take 
the road. The harnesses were mi.xcd, and it was im- 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. 35 

possible to get the particular harnesses for the horses 
they fitted without losing too much time ; but after 
some delay the section was pronounced ready, and 
started for the front without rations either for men or 
horses. 

The troops that landed at Slocum's Creek the day 
before took up the line of march immediately, and 
notwithstanding the fact that the weather became 
again stormy soon after they had landed, pushed on 
through mud and fog and rain, until at night they 
were near the enemy's intrenched position, where they 
were ordered to halt and bivouac for the night. Early 
in the work of debarking the battery the sounds of 
the battle were distinctly heard by the batterymen, 
and they knew they would be very welcome at the 
front. These sounds probably caused the ordering 
of the two pieces off before the entire battery was 
ashore. The section traveled as rapidly as possible 
in the direction of the fighting, the sounds of which 
grew more and more distinct as they neared the front, 
but it was not their fortune, good or bad, to fire a 
shot in the battle of New Berne, as they reached the 
battlefield just after the enemy was routed. The 
efforts made were, however, appreciated by the de- 



36 BATTERY F, 

partment commander, and, under date of May 20, 
1862, the assistant adjutant-general wrote Captain 
Belger as follows: "The commanding" general also 
instructs me to say that your battery well earned the 
right to inscribe on its banners, ' New Berne, March 
14, 1862,' which he requests you will direct to have 
done." 

Although the Rhode Island battery did not be- 
come engaged at this battle, Rhode Island troops 
were there and bore an honorable and conspicuous 
part. Historians have recorded the bravery and valor 
of the Fourth Regiment and Fifth Battalion, and have 
accorded to them the honor and credit nobly won on 
that field. 

The battle of New Berne was fought about four 
miles south of the city. The following description of 
the works occupied by the enemy during the battle is 
taken from General Foster's report, dated March 20, 
1862 : "The breastwork we had entered was similar 
in construction to the abandoned one, running from 
Fort Thompson at the river to the railroad track, a 
distance of one and one-cpiarter miles, and from the 
railroad track ritie-pits and detached intrenchments 
in the form of lunettes and redans followed each 




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FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. 37 

Other for the distance of one and one-quarter miles, 
and terminated by a two-gun battery. 

"Fort Thompson, a flanking bastion, mounted 
thirteen guns, all 32-pounders (two rifled) four of 
which were turned so as to bear upon our line. The 
breastwork was mounted by two complete field batte- 
ries, besides several pieces of heavy artillery, and 
manned by about six thousand men. The force in 
men and artillery of the other defences I am unable 
to give, they not coming under my observation." 

Lieutenant Field with his section made but a short 
halt at the battlefield, pushing towards New Berne 
after the retreating enemy. The section arrived at 
the river, opposite the city, to find the bridges de- 
stroyed and no means of crossing. It was late in the 
afternoon, and both men and horses had been with- 
out food, excepting three hard crackers issued to each 
man early in the morning, since the evening before, 
a light ration for the work required and performed. 

Lieutenant Field ordered a bivouac for the night 
near the river bank, and sent out a foraging party. 
Forage for the horses was soon found, but it was about 
midnight before the men were served with and en- 
joyed a hearty meal. 



38 BATTERY F. 

During the march from the enemy's earth-works to 
the river bank evidences of great haste in departure 
by the enemy were visible on all sides. Apparently 
they did not anticipate the necessity for moving on, 
or fear an unfavorable result of the engagement at 
their defensive works. From the reports gathered 
by the men of the battery while doing cavalry picket 
duty a few days after, the stampede must have 
equaled if it did not exceed that of the Union troops 
after the battle of Bull Run, July 21, 1861. Some 
did not halt until they reached Trenton, N. C, about 
twenty miles away, while others made Kinston, N. 
C, still farther away, the rendezvous. 

The remainder of the battery was landed as rapidly 
as possible, pushed forward and bivouacked during 
the night of the 14th on the battlefield, moving for- 
ward and joining the section under Lieutenant Field, 
at the river bank opposite New Berne, during the 
forenoon of the 15th, where the battery remained 
until Sunday, March 18, 1862, when it entered New 
Berne, crossing the Trent River some distance above 
its junction with the Neuse, and took possession of 
a large boarding-house on Broad Street as quarters 
for the men, a dwelling for the lieutenants, a dwelling 



40 BATTERY F, 

for the captain, in which he soon after lived with his 
family, a store for the quartermaster and commissary 
departments, a large stable for the horses, and smaller 
buildings for mess-room, guard-house, etc., all situ- 
ated near together, mostly adjoining, on Broad Street, 
near the "junction." These buildings had been de- 
serted by their occupants when the rebel troops 
retreated from the city. 

Such property belonging to the battery as was 
not landed on the 14th was brought to the city by 
the vessels and landed at the wharves soon after. 
Some of the men remained on board the vessels, and 
of course did not accompany the battery on its march. 

Under date of March 19, 1862, General Burnside 
issued General Orders No. 19, as follows : " i. The 
brigade commanders will direct that their men have 
forty rounds of ball cartridges in their cartridge-boxes 
at all times, ready for immediate use. 

" The post will be guarded as follows : 

" General Foster will guard the approaches to the 
town, throwing his pickets out some four or five 
miles, with strict instructions to them to carefully 
watch every way of entrance. General Reno will 
U'uard the line of the Trent and railroad as far as the 



FIRST R. I, LIGHT ARTILLERY. 4I 

brick-yard, throwing out his pickets in the same man- 
ner. General Parke will guard from Croatan down 
his line, throwing out his pickets in the same way." 

To properly carry out the above order cavalry was 
much needed. There was none in the department, 
and some one conceived the idea of using Belger's 
battery as a cavalry force. Therefore the guns were 
left in park, the men mounted on the battery horses, 
and detailed to duty as cavalry scouts, videttes, etc. 
General Burnside in a letter to the secretary of war, 
Washington, D. C., dated March 27, writes : "There 
is nothing now of which we stand in so much need as 
cavalry. I have had to take the pieces from Captain 
Belger's battery and organize it into a cavalry com- 
pany." 

The infantry outposts were established from five to 
seven miles from the city, and the battery, as cavalry, 
posted beyond, and also was expected to patrol the 
country to the front. The first scout was made on 
Friday, March 21st, the party consisting of about 
twenty-five men, under command of Lieutenant Pope. 
They went about fifteen miles in the direction of 
Trenton, N. C., but discovering no enemy returned 



42 BATTERY F, 

to quarters. The men were then sent out in squads 
of three, with a non-commissioned officer in charge, 
to patrol the roads leading into the city. Each squad 
remained out three days, when it was relieved. 

A number of casualties and hair-breadth escapes 
occurred during this service. Among them were the 
following : On the first scout, mentioned above, Sergt. 
Benjamin H. Draper received a severe wound in the 
leg from a kick by a horse, necessitating an amputa- 
tion at the thigh. The operation was performed May 
8th. He died May 27, 1862, at fifteen minutes 
past six o'clock in the morning, at the Academy 
Green Hospital, New Berne. Sergeant Draper had 
won the respect and esteem of both officers and men, 
and his death under such circumstances cast a shadow 
over the battery, and it was long before the men 
ceased to think and speak of him. 

Corp. Benjamin F. Martindale was killed May 
2, 1862, on the Trent road, about seven and a half 
miles from New Berne. At the time of his death he 
was in charge of a squad patrolling this road, and 
while on duty discovered the enemy's cavalry riding 
towards the outpost. In obedience to instructions, 
he immediately rode to the outpost and reported to 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. 43 

the officer in command that the enemy were scouting- 
in front. That officer did not credit the report, inti- 
mating that the corporal had been frightened by some 
non-combatant resident of the vicinity. The corpo- 
ral replied, " I will prove that to you," and, wheeling 
his horse, rode back to his death, as when near the 
place where he first discovered the enemy he was 
shot and instantly killed. 

Private Henry Love, while on duty near Deep 
Gully, about eight miles from New Berne, was se- 
verely wounded in the head by a sabre cut. His life 
was saved by the nerve and steady aim of an in- 
fantryman, who shot the rebel through the heart as 
he was about to strike another blow. Private Love 
had been patrolling the road, and was pursued by a half 
dozen cavalrymen, who did not stop until their leader 
was killed as he was passing the infantry picket. 

Private Philip L. Bassett was taken prisoner March 
31, 1862, while on duty near Deep Gully, and was 
paroled about the 29th of May. His life was saved by 
a Testament in his breast pocket, a rifle-ball passing 
nearly through the book. 

Private George H. Fuller was taken prisoner while 
on duty near the junction of the Trenton and Pol- 



44 BATTERY F, 

locksvalle roads, April 19th, and was paroled on the 
loth of May. 

There were many other narrow escapes from death 
or capture during the time the battery was perform- 
ing this special duty. The men were ignorant of 
cavalry duties and there was no time to drill ; they 
were not properly armed, and the rebel cavalry soon 
learning of these facts became very bold, knowing 
that under the existing conditions they were more 
than a match for the Rhode Island batterymen. But 
a surprise was in store for them. Early in May, 1862, 
the Third New York (Van Alen) Cavalry arrived at 
New Berne, and, on the 17th of May, after nearly 
two months' service, the artillerymen were relieved 
from further cavalry duty by that regiment. 

From April 14th to May i8th, 1862, Lieut. Thomas 
Simpson, one sergeant and thirteen privates of the 
battery were on detached service at Newport Bar- 
racks, near Beaufort, N. C.,also performing duty as 
cavalry in connection with the reduction of Fort 
Macon. Under date of May 20, 1862, General Burn- 
side directed Cai)tain ledger to have inscribed on the 
guidon "Fort Macon, April 26, 1862." From this 
time until July 25, 1862, the battery remained in 



FIRST R. 1. LIGHT ARTILLERY. 



45 



New Berne, performing the usual routine duties of 
camp, vvitii occasional incidents varying the mo- 
notony. 




Capt. E. L. Corthen, Battery D. 

(Sei-fft. in Boltery F until October, iSb2.) 

One of the incidents occurred Saturday, June 14th, 
when two guidons, one for parade and one for drill, 
were presented to the battery by friends of Captain 
Belger. A full account of the presentaton was pub- 
lished in the New Berne Progress. John McConkey, 



46 BATTERY F, 

Esq., made the presentation speech, to which Captain 
Belger appropriately responded. The battery paraded 
in full regulation uniform, and gave a street drill on 
the occasion. Volunteer batteries were not, as a 
rule, supplied with the regulation dress uniform, but, 
presumably, owing to the probability of a quite 
lengthy stay in New Berne, together with the sur- 
rounding conditions of society and population, it was 
deemed desirable that the handsome and showy uni- 
form be secured, and undoubtedly the appearance of 
the battery in the streets of New Berne, wearing 
this uniform, added much to the pleasure of the citi- 
zens of the city, particularly the colored portion. 

The service of the battery in New Berne was more 
like that of troops in garrison in time of peace, than 
in the iield on a war footing, and much attention was 
given to appearances, both of men and material. A 
street parade and drill occurred almost weekly. This 
drill was not found in the " Instructions." On these 
parades the formation was column of sections, can- 
noneers mounted, and woe to the poor soldier who did 
not sit erect on the boxes, with arms folded, for on 
the return to cjuarters the guard-house and bread and 
water would be his reward. The parade was usually 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. 47 

performed at a trot, and the principal movement was 
to execute " In Battery," as if entirely surrounded by 
an enemy. It was accomplished by the commanding 
officer giving the order, "Action front, right, left, and 
rear," as the centre section arrived at the intersection 
of a cross street. The right section executed "Ac- 
tion front," the centre section "Action right and left," 
and left section " Fire to the rear in battery." To 
one acquainted with light artillery service it will read- 
ily be seen that executed at a trot in the streets of a 
city, by a battery equipped in full regulation uniform, 
the effect upon lookers-on would be very pleasing as 
an exhibition. 

July 4, 1862, was observed by the troops at New 
Berne in a spirited manner. Bells were rung morn- 
ing, noon and night ; the command made a street 
parade in the morning, at the close of which the Dec- 
laration of Independence was read before each regi- 
ment and battery ; at twelve o'clock noon a national sa- 
lute of thirty-four guns was fired from Fort Totten, a 
large earthwork, built subsequent to the capture of the 
city to defend it from attack on the land side, and 
also from the gun-boats ; at six o'clock, evening, Bel- 
ger's Rhode Island Battery fired a salute of thirty- 



48 BATTERY F, 

four guns, and, with the burning of tar barrels during 
the evening, the celebration at New Berne of the na- 
tion's anniversary closed. Dinner was made the main 
feature of the day with Battery F. The bill of fare 
was roast beef, roast lamb, boiled chicken, boiled 
ham, plum duff with whiskey sauce, pies and hard 
crackers. The issue of rations of this character, 
although very rarely served, had a good effect upon 
the men. 

Early in August, 1862, the post of the provost 
guard on Pollock Street, near the rear of the battery 
quarters and in close proximity to post number two 
of the battery guard, had been fired upon several 
nights in succession, between midnight and three 
o'clock in the morning, and one or two men had 
been wounded. All efforts to discover the firing 
party had proved unsuccessful. Buildings in the vicin- 
ity had been carefully searched, and everything in the 
shape of fire-arms confiscated, but still at the same 
locality, and about the same hour in the morning, the 
report of the gun and the whiz of the bullet was 
heard. The night of the 14th of August was ex- 
tremely warm, so much so that the guard detail of the 
battery not on post found it difficult to sleep, and 




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FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. 49 

nearly all were lounging around the guard quarters 
hunting for a breath of air. The time for the firing 
had arrived and all were listening for the shot. Soon 
the report and whiz were heard, and about five min- 
utes later some one saying : " Open the door, quick ! 
quick ! " Following the direction of the sound, a 
citizen was discovered standing at the door of a house 
nearly opposite the battery quarters, waiting to be 
admitted. The circumstance was immediately re- 
ported to the battery officer of the day, Lieut. 
Charles H. Pope, who, gaining admission to the 
house, arrested the man, who of course denied all 
knowledge of the shooting, and claimed that he had 
just returned from fishing. He was turned over to 
the provost marshal, placed in jail to await trial, but 
was either released or escaped and disappeared from 
the city. Those most interested in the matter, the 
soldiers required to perform duty in that vicinity, 
were satisfied he was guilty, as after his arrest there 
was no more shooting at that post. 



CHAPTER IV, 



Raids and Expeditions in North Carolina. 

THE first organized raid into the country, with 
which Battery F as a battery was connected, 
left New Berne Friday, July 25, 1862, at about four 
o'clock in the afternoon. Bivouacked that night at 
"Bachelder Creek," and the next morning took up 
the march for Trenton, N. C. No opposition was 
met until within about a mile of Trenton, where the 
rebel cavalry were posted. They hastily retreated 
across the river into the town, attempting to burn 
the bridge as they went. In this they were unsuc- 
cessful for the reason that the Union cavalry were 
too close upon them. One section of Battery F 
went to the front with the cavahy, but did not be- 
come engaged. The command crossed the river, 
passed through the town and started by another 
route, via Pollocksville, for the return to New Berne. 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. 51 

The night of the 26th was spent in bivouac at Mc- 
Daniels's plantation. The fine mansion and other 
buildings stood upon a hill, and the troops were posted 
about the yard, the guns of the battery in position 
and the men ordered to sleep by the guns. Just be- 
fore reaching the bivouac the troops crossed a small 
stream, at first not large or deep. Apparently it was 
dammed and the gate was opened about the time of 
the crossing, for when the battery crossed the stream 
had swollen and was about waist deep. It was with 
considerable difficulty that the battery crossed and 
reached the top of the hill at McDaniels's. When it 
arrived, which was quite late, the night was as dark 
as dark could be with every indication of a thunder 
shower. The guns were posted in the darkness, their 
positions causing considerable amusement when day- 
light disclosed the situation. Soon after reaching 
the position the threatened storm broke, continuing 
until nearly daylight, the rain falling in torrents, 
which, together with the vivid lightning, and the 
roar of the thunder, made an extremely uncomforta- 
ble night. The men of the battery had little or no 
shelter ; they hovered under the caissons, but the 
water ran in streams everywhere. The result of the 



52 BATTERY F, 

night to them was summed up in a few words, viz., 
no sleep and thoroughly soaked with water, The 
morning of the 27th, Sunday, opened beautifully ; the 
sun shone out brightly, causing the wet clothing of 
the men to soon dry, and the march was continued 
towards Pollocksville just the same as if a comfortable 
night had been passed. The cavalry skirmished 
some just before reaching the town, losing two men 
killed, but no call was made for the artillery. Pass- 
ing through Pollocksville, the battery reached its 
quarters in New Berne at about ten and a half 
o'clock m the evening of the 27th. 

During the month of August several raids were 
made into the country, upon two of which portions of 
the battery joined. No engagements took place, 
however. 

Saturday, September 27th, about noon, a courier 
came dashing into the city with the report that the 
outpost at Deep Gully had been attacked. The bat- 
tery was in the midst of the weekly preparation for 
the regular Sunday morning inspection. The har- 
nesses were being thoroughly washed and cleaned, 
having been taken apart for that purpose, and, alto- 
gether, the conditions were unfavorable for a quick 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. 



53 



response to a sudden call. About three o'clock p. m. 
"boots and saddles " sounded, and thebattery started 
for the outpost. Arriving at Deep Gully it was 
found, as was often the case, that there had been no 




Lieut. Peter C. Smith. 

necessity for the move, as only a few of the enemy's 
cavalry had appeared, and they retired after a few 
shots. The battery immediately returned to quar- 
ters and at nine o'clock in the evening all was as 
quiet as if no alarm had taken place, but probably the 
Sunday morning inspection did not find the harnesses 



54 BATTERY F, 

and the carriages in as clean condition as they might 
have been had the alarm not occurred. 

The time between these raids and expeditions was 
occupied mainly by routine duty. During the sum- 
mer months drills took place at five o'clock in the 
morning, continuing until seven. This was to relieve 
the men and animals as far as possible from work 
during the heat of the day. Reveille was sounded at 
four and one-half o'clock, and at roll call a ration of 
whiskey and quinine issued. This was intended as a 
preventive of chills and fever, quite prevalent in the 
camps. Immediately after the issuing of the whiskey 
and quinine the battery was hitched up and the two 
hours' mounted drill took place, after which breakfast 
was served and stable call sounded subsequently. 

October 29th an expedition, of which the battery 
was a part, started from New Berne under command 
of Gen. J. G. Foster. The troops arrived at Wash- 
ington, N. C., the next day, and remained until No- 
vember 2d, when the march was resumed toward 
Williamston, N. C. It very soon became evident 
that the enemy would resist this advance. At Little 
Creek rifle-pits had been constructed and the rebels 
disputed the way. Battery V was ordered into posi- 



FIRST K. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. 55 

tion, opened fire, and continued to shell the enemy's 
position for nearly an hour, resulting in the retiring 
of their lines about a mile to Rawle's Mill, where 
another engagement between the battery and the 
rebel forces took place. At the two engagements 
Battery F expended about three hundred rounds of 
ammunition. General Foster, in his ofificial report of 
these actions, says : 

"The engagement (at Little Creek) lasted one 
hour, when the enemy being driven from their rifle- 
pits by the effective fire of Belger's Rhode Island 
Battery, retired to Rawles' Mill, one mile further 
on, where they made another stand in a recently con- 
structed field-work. Belger's Battery and two bat- 
teries of the Third New York Artillery were imme- 
diately ordered into position, and, after a spirited en- 
gagement of half an hour, succeeded in driving the 
enemy from their works and across a bridge which 
they burned." 

Col. Thomas G. Stevenson, commanding Second 
Brigade, states in his report of operations at Little 
Creek and Rawles' Mill. "Too much praise cannot be 
awarded Captain Belgerand his command for the mas- 
terly manner in which his guns were maneuvered." 



56 BATTERY F, 

The march continued through Williamston, Ham- 
ilton, and to near Tarboro', but no further engage- 
ments by the battery took place. There were no 
casualties in the battery on this raid. 

Horace Greeley, in T/ie American Conflict, writing 
of this raid, says : " He (Foster) led one expedition 
from Washington through Williamston to Hamilton, 
on the Roanoke, where he expected to find and de- 
stroy some iron-clads in process of construction, but 
there were none. . . . The liberation of several 
hundred slaves was the chief result of this expedi- 
tion." 

The monthly return of the battery for November, 
1862, contains the following memorandum of the 
route and distance traveled on this expedition : 

" The battery left Washington, N. C, on a reconnois- 
sance, Nov. 2, 1862, and engaged the enemy at Little 
Creek, N. C, twice the same day, dislodged the enemy 
and bivouacked for the night. Resumed the march at 
sunrise, November 3d, and arrived at Williamston, N. C, 
at eleven a. m. Left Williamston at three v. m., and ar- 
rived at Hamilton November 4th, at three v. isi. Left 
Hamilton at six i'. m., and bivouacked within five miles 
of Tarlioro', N. C, November 5th. Resumed the march 
at sunrise November 6th on the return, and reached 



FIRST K. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. 



57 



Hamilton same day. Left Hamilton November 7th, and 
arrived at Williamston same day. Left W'illiamston No- 
vember 9th, and arrived at Plymouth, N. C, November 
loth. Embarked on steamer Ea^i^/c same day, and left 
for New pjerne, N. C, at which place the battery arrived 
on the I 2th of November, 1862. Distance, 369 miles. "" 




Sergt. William H. C. Smith. 

On the night of November iith, New Berne was 
the scene of intense excitement, caused by the ap- 
pearance of the enemy before the city. The pickets 
were driven in, and many thought the morning would 



58 BATTERY F, 

witness the Confederate forces again occupying the 
place. The expedition, which had been absent since 
October 29th, had not been heard from, and the com- 
paratively small force remaining to defend the city 
caused a feeling of uneasiness which could not well 
be concealed. The few members of Battery F left be- 
hind to care for the property, and those unable on 
account of sickness to go with the expedition, shared 
fully in the anxiety as to the result should an attack 
be made. Of course there were natives who secretly 
hoped for the capture of the entire post, but from some 
cause (perhaps they knew better than those in the 
city the nearness of the expedition on its return) the 
enemy contented themselves by simply driving in the 
outposts, and disappeared as suddenly as they came. 
Early in December, 1862, an expedition under com- 
mand of General Foster was organized for the pur- 
pose of destroying the railroad bridge across the 
Neuse River, near Goldsboro', N. C. Battery F 
was assigned to the expedition which embraced four 
brigades of infantry, a regiment of cavalry, and a 
battery of the Third New York Artillery, together 
with portions of the Twenty-third and Twenty-fourth 
New \'ork Independent Batteries. 



FIRST K. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. 59 

Under date of Dec. lo, 1862, General Foster wrote 
General Halleck at Washing-ton, D. C. : 

'• I have the honor to report that I am about to take 
the field again against the enemy in the direction of 
Goldsborough. . . . I . . . shall therefore move 
on Kinston to-morrow morning at daybreak. I hope to 
defeat two brigades that are known to be there before as- 
sistance can arrive from Wilmington, or W'eldon, or Tar- 
borough. Succeeding in this, 1 shall push on to Golds- 
borough, destroy its railroad bridge, and another bridge 
across a swamp ten miles south of Goldsborough, and 
then return to Xew PJerne to prepare for an immediate 
attack on Wilmington." 

Leaving New Berne on the morning of the nth of 
December, the command arrived at the bridge over 
the Neuse River, near Kinston, on the 14th. About 
fotirteen miles from New Berne the enemy had ob- 
structed the road for a long distance by felling trees. 
Between that point and Kinston some skirmishing 
occurred, but Battery F was not brought into action 
or to the advance until the 14th, when the battle of 
Kinston was fought. The nature of the ground 
where this engagement took place was such that ar- 
tillery could not be used to advantage, consequently 
the batteries were of necessity placed in reserve. 



60 BATTERY F, 

General Foster's report of the engagement has this 
reference to the artillery : 

" My artillery (three batteries) I posted in a large 
field on the right of the road and about three-fourths 
of a mile in rear of line of attack, the only position 
they could be placed in. I then ordered Colonel 
Stevenson's brigade, with Belger's Rhode Island 
Battery, forward. The Twenty-fourth Massachusetts 
supported this battery." 

The position taken by the battery, when ordered 
forward as abov'e stated, was to cover the bridge 
over the Neuse River by which the enemy had re- 
treated into the village of Kinston, attempting, un- 
successfully, to burn it, although it was made impass- 
able for the artillery until repaired. No occasion, 
however, occurred for action, and not a shot was fired 
by the battery at this point. The bridge was soon 
put in safe condition, the battery crossed over, moved 
through the village with other troops, and bivouacked 
for the night in a cornfield about a half mile beyond. 
Previous to the bivouac the woods were shelled to 
the front, the battery firing a few rounds without de- 
veloping any force, the enemy having retreated be- 
yond the range. 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY, 6l 

During the night there was more or less foraging. 
Fi'esh pork was cooked at the camp-fires of the bat- 
tery, and probably some souvenirs of the visit were 
secured from the partially deserted village by men of 
the different commands, which, had it been known to 
commanding officers would have subjected the pos- 
sessors to discipline. 

On the morning of the 1 5th of December the troops 
recrossed the bridge and continued the march toward 
Goldsboro', halting for the night about three and a 
half miles from Whitehall. The battery performed 
no duty on this day except marching with the col- 
umn, as the enemy did not oppose the advance. 

December i6th the march continued to Whitehall 
Bridge, where a short but sharp engagement took 
place. The enemy had burned the bridge across the 
Neuse River at this point and were on the opposite 
bank in some force with infantry and artillery. Gen- 
eral Foster's report states "this being the direct road 
to Goldsboro', I determined to make a strong feint as 
if to rebuild and cross." Battery F was first ordered 
into position on a hill overlooking the river, but after 
firing a few rounds, moved down to the low land on 
the river bank, in an open field to the left of the road. 



62 BATTERY F, 

and came into action at short ranq;e. Nothins^ could 
be seen on the opposite side of the river except 
trees. The enemy's artillery was soon silenced, and 
the engagement became a battle of a light battery 
against sharpshooters, the battery being in an open 
field without cover, and the sharpshooters entirely 
covered by the thick woods which lined the bank on 
the opposite side of the river. The ammunition used 
was shell and case shot, with fuses cut at two seconds. 
The engagement continued about an hour, resulting 
in a loss to the battery of two privates killed, viz., 
James P. Gavitt and William Nisbit ; Corp. George 
C, Manchester wounded by a musket ball through the 
thigh ; Private John Butterworth wounded by a mus- 
ket ball through the hand, near the wrist, while 
thumbing vent, resulting in amputation of the hand ; 
also twelve horses killed and disabled. 

During the afternoon of the i6th the command 
continued the march towards Goldsboro', bivouacking 
for the night about eight miles from that city. On 
the morning of the 17th the advance was continued, 
soon meeting the enemy who retired towards the 
railroatl bridge over the Neuse River, the objective 
point of the expedition. In the disposition of the 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. 



6- 



troops made at the railroad near the bridge, Battery 
F was divided, the right and left sections — four ten- 
pounder Parrotts — occupying a position near the rail- 
road track and firing upon the bridge and troops de- 




Corp. George C. Manchester. 

fending it, while the centre section — two twelve- 
pounder howitzers — was posted a short distance to 
the right, on a hill overlooking a large open field. 
The Third Massachusetts Infantry were the support 
to this section. The Ninth New Jersey Infantry 



64 BATTERY F, 

were ordered to advance up the railroad track to the 
bridge, which they were to burn, and the position of 
the right and left sections of the battery with its in- 
fantry support of three regiments was in support of 
this movement. 

Col. C. A. Heckman, Ninth New Jersey Volun- 
teers, in command of the advance, in his official 
report states : 

"I then (1 6th) received orders to take the Seventeenth 
Massachusetts and proceed in advance towards Golds- 
borough Bridge. Bivouacked the night of the 16th about 
five miles from the bridge. 

" Morning of the 17th column agaiu moving. Seven- 
teenth Massachusetts in advance. Ninth Xew Jersey fol- 
lowing. About two miles from the bridge commenced 
driving in the enemy's pickets. On coming in sight of 
the bridge saw a regiment of the enemy passing along 
the railroad. I immediately ordered the Seventeenth 
Massachusetts to send out skirmishers and advance on 
the left of the road, and the Ninth New Jersey to deploy 
and advance on the right as far as the railroad. Found 
the enemy here in force on both sides of the river. 'I'he 
Seventeenth on reaching the railroad, ])y my order, left 
one company where the country road crosses the railroad, 
and then marched down the railroad in the direction of 
the bridge. The compan\- left in position on the country 
road were cliarged upon by a scpiadron of cavalry, whom 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. 65 

they repulsed, and captured two prisoners, without loss on 
our side. 'I'he Ninth advanced on the right of the Sev- 
enteenth to within thirty feet of the river and bridge. 
As soon as the artillery arrived on the ground I withdrew 
the Ninth New Jersey and Seventeenth Massachusetts to 
give the artillery position. Torches were sent us and or- 
ders to burn the bridge. I rode up to the Ninth New 
Jersey and called for volunteers to burn the bridge. 
Numbers volunteered instantlv. but as I wanted but three, 
Lieutenant Graham, acting aide to me, and two privates, 

one of Company E, William Lemons, and , took 

the port-tires and started on their dangerous mission. 
The enemy were thickly posted on both sides of the 
river and all about the bridge, but the volunteers were 
successful, and we soon had the gratification of seeing 
flames and smoke ascending in columns, and the bridge 
was effectually destroyed." 

Battery F was a part of the artillery force which 
Colonel Heckman writes as having arrived. It im- 
mediately came into position, opened fire upon the 
enemy and contintied the action until the btuMiing of 
the bridge took place. During this action First 
Sergt. Alexander AL Massie was severely and Sergt. 
Isaac N. Gage and Private Calvin C. Burr slightly 
wotinded. First Sergeant Massie was wounded as 
he was about to sight a gun. He had just taken a 
9 



66 BATTERY F, 

field-glass from his eyes when he was struck by a 
piece of shell which completely shattered the glass, 
tore off three fingers and half of his right hand, and 
the flesh from the under side of the arm to the elbow, 
leaving the index finger and the thumb uninjured. 

While the advance were maneuvering for the 
bridge another force destroyed the railroad for a long 
distance. The rails were rendered useless by being 
thrown upon hot fires fed by the sleepers or ties. . 
The object of the expedition accomplished and a 
large and increasing force of the enemy appearing, 
the return march was ordered. 

On the return march Battery F was assigned to 
the rear guard. As the troops withdrew from their 
positions a detachment of the Third New York Cav- 
alry passed down towards the burning bridge. They 
were fired upon from the woods, and almost immedi- 
ately the enemy filed out of the woods to our right 
and formed line of battle in an open field. The 
two howitzers of Battery F on the hill overlooking 
this field seemed their objective point. The enemy 
advanced in line towards the guns, but not far, 
for, being in an open field, the guns were worked to 
the best advantage and made such fearful havoc, ap- 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. 6/ 

parently, that they left the field in great haste and 
appeared to be very much demoralized. This was 
the first time the battery had been charged upon in 
an open field, and, being able to see the effect of the 
shots, the men were naturally much elated over the 
result. 

In reaching the hill occupied by the two howitzers 
of the battery a small stream was crossed, the water 
running about ankle deep. When the section re- 
tired this brook had swollen to a small river about 
waist deep. The cause of the sudden increase in the 
volume of water, as was afterwards learned, was the 
opening by the enemy of a dam, which they undoubt- 
edly hoped would cause serious trouble to the troops. 
No particular disturbance occurred, however, except 
the annoyance to the men of wet clothing. 

As is always the case in an engagement, narrow 
escapes from wounds or death took place during this 
expedition, among which might be mentioned, as of 
the very narrowest, Private Alfred B. Spencer, who 
at the battle of Whitehall, on the i6th of December, 
was struck in the stomach by a spent ball which 
caused him to suddenly "double up," but nothing 
serious resulted. The next day, at Goldsboro' rail- 



68 BATTERY F, 

road bridge, a fragment of a shell tore a piece from 
his trousers under the knee. In neither case was 
the skin broken. 

The battery arriv^ed at its quarters in New Berne 
at about six o'clock on the afternoon of December 
20th without further incident. 

The official reports of the Goldsboro' expedition 
made by General Foster (J. G.), commanding" the ex- 
pedition ; Col. J. H. Leslie, chief of artillery ; Col. 
Thomas G. Stevenson, commanding Second Brigade, 
First Division, and Col. H. C. Lee, commanding 
Third Brigade, all mention Belger's Rhode Island 
Battery in complimentary terms. 

While General Foster claimed complete success 
for the expedition, inasmuch aslihe object was accom- 
plished without serious loss, Maj.-Gen. Gustavus VV. 
Smith, Confederate States Army, reported the enemy 
beaten and driven back from Kinston, Whitehall 
Bridge, and Goldsboro', with heavy loss. The report 
of Brig.-Gen. T. L. Clingman, Confederate States 
Army, refers particularly to the charge made late in 
the afternoon by the rebels upon the hill occupied by 
the two howitzers of Battery F, as follows : " During 
the evening the regiments of Colonels (J. K.) Mar- 




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FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. 69 

shall (Fifty-second North Carolina) and (William A.) 
Allen (Fifty-first North Carolina), by General Evans's 
order, I have since learned, made a charge against 
the enemy's position on the hill. They advanced 
most courageously, but were repulsed by heavy 
showers of grape and musketry." 

Early in the month of January, 1863, orders were 
received at department headquarters to embark a 
force to cooperate with the naval forces in an attack 
upon Wilmington, N. C. Belger's battery was as- 
signed to this force. The pieces were dismounted 
and loaded on board a schooner, and thirty-one horses 
placed on board another schooner. Lieut. William 
A. Arnold, with a detail from the battery, accom- 
panied them to Morehead City under sail, at which 
place the remaining officers and men were to join 
them on their arrival. On the 25th of January 
Lieut. Thomas Simpson, with forty men, was ordered 
to Morehead City by rail, to disembark the battery 
and return with it to New Berne. The horses were 
left on board and transferred to a battery of the 
Third New York Artillery in exchange for an equal 
number from that command on shore. 

The order to "swap" horses with the New York 



70 BATTERY F, 

battery was considered in Battery F a bad bargain. 
Much attention had been given to the appearance of 
the horses, and it was claimed that Belger's battery 
had the best, taken altogether, of any artillery com- 
mand in the department. The trade was made, how- 
ever, without consulting those most interested. 

The object of the movement which resulted un- 
favorably for Battery F, in so far as relates to ani- 
mals, is thus described by Maj.-Gen. J. G. Foster, in 
a report to the Committee on the Conduct of War: 

" I received orders from Major-General Halleck to co- 
operate with the naval forces in an attack on Wilming- 
ton, North Carolina. All the preparations were com- 
pleted and the troops about being embarked at Beaufort, 
North Carolina, when the news arrived of the foundering 
of the Monitor at sea. The loss of this iron-clad, which 
was the only armored vessel in service of sufficient light 
draft to enter the new inlet of Cape Fear River and take 
up position in reverse of the enemy's batteries on Federal 
Point, caused a change in the destination of the expedi- 
tion. 1 was then ordered to take the expedition to South 
Carolina, and cooperate with .Admiral I )u Pont in the 
projected attack on Charleston, South Carolina. 

" .Accordingly, the Heet having on board about twelve 
thousand (12,000) men, the best troops in North Caro- 
lina, sailed from P.eaufort Harbor, North Carolina, on 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLEKV. Jl 

the 2d of February, 18G3. Arriving at Hilton Head, I 
paid my respects to Major-General Hunter. I tlren 
called on Admiral I)u Pont to arrange the plan of the 
joint attack. The admiral explained that he could not 
be ready in less than two weeks, in consequence of hav- 
ing to increase the thickness of the decks of the moni- 
tors. I then decided to profit by the delay in obtaining 
some one hundred pounder Parrotts for siege guns, and 
after informing General Hunter of my intention, left for 
Fortress Monroe for that purpose. After I left General 
Hunter issued an order breaking up my organization and 
merging my whole force into the small corps commanded 
by him. He also ordered my personal staff to leave his 
department forthwith. Under these circumstances I re- 
quested and obtained authority from General Halleck to 
return to North Carolina. The twelve thousand picked 
men that were thus lost to my command were not used 
with any effect in conjunction with Admiral L)u Pout's 
attack on Charleston, and the expedition thus failed."' 

It is foreign to the ptirpose of this work to discuss 
differences which occurred between general ofificers. 
It is sufficient in this case to observe that the war 
correspondents took up the matter, setting forth the 
situation in a sensational manner ; that the affair was 
treated editorially by the leading daily papers in the 
North, nearly if not quite all arguing against the 
course pursued by General Foster; that General 



72 BATTERY F, 

Hunter issued Special Orders No. 97, ordering that 
"all the members of the staff of Maj.-Gen. John G. 
Foster, commanding the Department of North Caro- 
lina, now within the limits of the Department of the 
South, shall quit this department by the first steamer 
going north"; that he also issued General Order No. 
13, which incorporated the troops from North Caro- 
lina as a part of the Tenth Corps, and subsequently. 
General Order No. 15, paragraph III. of which re- 
voked so much of General Order No. 13 as assigned 
the troops from North Carolina to the Tenth Corps, 
and they remained a part of the Eighteenth Corps. 

After the return from Beaufort the battery was oc- 
cupied in routine duties, varied occasionall}' by some 
ceremony of review or parade. On the 27ih of Feb- 
ruary, 1863, rain fell in ton-en ts, and, unfortunately 
for the troops at New Berne, that was the day assigned 
for a formal fiag raising at General Foster's head- 
quarters. As there was no postponement on account 
of the weather the ceremonies took place according 
to programme, whicli included two salutes by Battery 
F, viz., a national salute early in the exercises, and, 
later, a major-general's salute, the whole closing with 
a review bv General Foster. Notwithstanding the 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. 73 

weather every part of the programme was carried out 
with military precision. 

These incidents of flag-raisings, parades, reviews, 
etc., served a double purpose. They furnished inter- 
esting military exercises for the troops, whose duties 
at this time resembled those performed by soldiers 
in garrison, and, as the post was in the midst of the 
enemy, also gave evidence to the unfriendly — and 
there were many in the city — that the United States 
forces were well drilled, well disciplined, well equipped, 
and in every way well prepared to defend the Union 
and the flag which had been assailed. 

Early in March, 1863, Major-General Foster, com- 
manding Eighteenth Army Corps, New Berne, N. C, 
directed Brig.-Gen. Henry Prince, commanding Fifth 
Division of the corps, to make a reconnoissance in 
force to Trenton, Pollocksville, Young's Cross Roads, 
and Swansborough, closing the letter of instructions 
with the following: "The object of this expedition 
is to make a strong reconnoissance in the direction 
of Wilmington, to ascertain the roads, the crossings 
of the rivers and creeks, the position of the enemy, 
etc., and, if possible, to capture or break up two com- 



74 BATTERY F, 

panics of cavalry supposed to be between the White 
Oak and New Rivers." 

Battery F was assigned to the division and left its 
quarters early on the morning of March 6, 1863, 
arriving at Trenton, N. C, at about ten o'clock a. m., 
March 7th. On arrival at Trenton General Prince 
sent the following message to the troops: "The 
bridges we were ordered to destroy have not been 
rebuilt since their former destruction ; the enemy's 
cavalry have been scattered by a charge of ours ; 
there is no body of the enemy on this side of the 
Trent, and consequently the column will face about 
and return to the wagons." (The wagons were left 
at McDaniels's plantation, about three hours' march 
from Trenton.) 

The return march commenced at about 10.30 a. m., 
reaching McDaniels's between one and two o'clock 
p. M. After an hour's halt, continued the march, ar- 
riving at Young's Cross Roads at nine o'clock p. m., 
and went into bivouac. The next morning the right 
section, under command of First Lieut. Thomas 
Simpson, was sent with a part of the Third New 
York Cavalry towards Jacksonville, N. C, marching 
to within nine miles of that place, then returning to 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. 75 

the battery at Young's Cross Roads. Battery F re- 
mained at Young's Cross Roads with a force in com- 
mand of Col. S. P. Richmond, Third Massachusetts 
Infantry, guarding the bridge and wagon train, while 
other portions of the force marched to Svvansborough 
and reconnoitered the country throughout that vicin- 
ity. At night, March 9th, the whole force assembled 
at Young's Cross Roads, and, on the morning of the 
loth, took up the return march to New Berne, where 
the battery arrived at about four o'clock in the after- 
noon, having had no engagements and traveled about- 
eighty-five miles. 

General Prince reports, officially, "The instructions 
I received have been entirely carried out and the ob- 
jects of the expedition fully accomplished," closing 
his report with the following compliment to his 
troops : ..." I am satisfied by this march that 
there is neither corruption of politics nor infamy of 
peace notions to taint the pure patriotism of the com- 
mand." ... 

Early in March evidences of activity within the 
rebel lines were noticed. The Raleigh (N. C.) 
Progress (rebel), issue of March i, 1863, contained 
the following: : 



J^ BATTERY F, 

"We are glad to learn that Gen. I). H. Hill passed 
down on Tuesday to assume the command that has been 
tendered him in North Carolina, with headquarters at 
Goldsboro'. We have had vastly too much strategy, too 
much science, and too much ditching and digging in 
North Carolina. Had we had less of these and more 
fighting things might have been different than at present : 
and as General Hill has established a reputation for being 
one of the best fighting men in the service, we may ex- 
pect a change in management, if not a change in base, in 
North Carolina."' 

The expectations of the Progress, as above re- 
corded, partially materialized. General Hill, on the 
loth of March, 1863, directed Brig.-Gen. J. J. Petti- 
grew to take all the rifled gtnis in his own and 
Daniels's brigade and the reserve artillery "and 
move with your brigade to the neighborhood of Bar- 
rington Ferry. Get all your guns in position, if pos- 
sible, without observation, and open a concentrated 
fire upon the enemy's work at the ferry. It is 
thought that this can be reduced; if so, push up your 
guns to it after its fall and open upon the Yankee 
shipping and barracks. It is important that this 
bombardment should begin on Thursday." 

The probable reason for naming Thursday as the 
time to begin the bombardment was the fact that 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. JJ 

Thursday, March 12, 1863, which was the particular 
Thursday referred to, was the first anniversary of the 
appearance of the Burnside Division in the Neuse 
River. 

The enemy did not, however, succeed in getting 
into position to open fire until the 13th, and on that 
day and the next there was considerable excitement 
in and around New Berne. Battery F was ordered 
to Deep Gully, on the Trent road, a position near the 
outpost, arriving early in the evening of the 13th. 
It remained in position throughout the night and re- 
turned to the city on the morning of the 14th. 

The enemy appeared before New Berne in three 
columns, viz., by the Trent road, in force, on the 
evening of the 13th; on the morning of the 14th, 
with a heavy artillery force, on the opposite bank of 
the Neuse River, before a small earth-work ; and also 
a demonstration by the road south of the Trent 
River, threatening the left of the line. Battery F 
was held in readiness to move to any point, but did 
not become engaged. General Foster, reporting offi- 
cially the affair, uses these words : " The whole af- 
fair, meant to be effective and strong, was ineffective 
and weak, inflicting no damage and accomplishing no 



yS UATTERY F, 

object." General Hill (D. H.), commanding Confed- 
erate forces, reported : "Our expedition was partly 
successful. I went with Daniels's brigade on the 
lower Trent road to New Berne, and sent Robertson 
around on the upper Trent road to cut the railroad. 
Pettigrew was to bombard the shipping and barracks 
from the other side. The result was highly satisfactory 
on our road." General Pettigrew, Confederate States 
Army, reports " having failed in accomplishing the 
hoped for result," and gives reasons. 

Thus ended very unexpectedly what promised to 
be a determined effort to recover New Berne to 
Confederate control, and to drive the Union troops 
from the shores of North Carolina. 

Events confirmed the prophecy of the Raleigh 
Progress. Gen. D. H. Hill had inaugurated offensive 
operations in North Carolina, and the Union forces 
were placed on the defensive for the time being, al- 
though the campaign was of short duration. On the 
30th of March he invested Washington, N. C. Gen- 
eral Foster and a garrison of about twelve hundred 
men were shut in and communication cut off. 

Washington, N. C, is situated on the Pamlico 
River, near tlie mouth of the Tar River, distant from 



FIRST K. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. 79 

New Berne by land about thirty miles, and by water 
something over one hundred miles. Several strong 
batteries on the banks of the Pamlico, below the 
town, together with a barricade across the channel, 
effectually prevented the passage of gun-boats or sup- 
ply vessels to the relief of the little garrison, so it 
was thought. 

Brig.-Gen. Henry Prince, with a force of about 
twenty-five hundred, of all arms, operated from the 
Pamlico River at Blount's Bay, April 4th to 6th, with- 
out success. 

April 8th a comparatively small force left New 
Berne, under command of Brig.-Gen. F. B. Spinola, 
to march overland to the relief of the garrison at 
Washington, and by attacking the enemy in the rear 
raise the siege. Battery F accompanied this com- 
mand. The column met with little or no resistance 
until, on the 9th of April, Blount's Creek, a stream 
sufficiently large to require a bridge for crossing, was 
reached. Here the enemy was posted with artillery 
in position to resist further advance. Battery F was 
ordered to the front and went into battery in the 
road, there being no other place sufficiently open for 
artillerv. The command given was "Action left," as 



80 BATTERY F, 

the battery stood in the road. Captain Belger sat on 
his horse at the right of the battery, with the two 
buglers and the first sergeant near him. Before a 
shot had been fired by his battery he was severely 
wounded in the thigh by a ball from a case shot from 
the enemy's guns. The shot exploded directly in 
front of the captain, killing his horse and also two 
battery horses. This was among the first of the 
enemy's shots, and should be considered a chance 
rather than evidence of proficiency on the part of the 
gunner, for during the hour that the battery was in 
action no further damage was received from their 
fire. 

Captain Belger was taken to the rear, leaving 
Lieut. Thomas Simpson in command of the battery. 
But little effort was made beyond the artillery 
bombardment, to advance further. General Spinola 
states : 

•• I found, however, the enemy's position almost im- 
pregnable owing to the thickness of the swamp woods on 
the north side of PUount's Creek, and also to the strong 
earthworks on the south side of the creek, behind which 
the enemy were two thousand strong. . . . Owing to 
the condition of the ground it was impossible to develop 
a large force against the eneniw and therefore only two 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. 8 1 

regiments of infantry, the Seventeentli and Forty-third 
Massachusetts Vohmteers, two sections of Captain Bel- 
ger's battery, and one section of 32-pounder howitzers, 
togetlier witli the cavalry above named, were 
actually engaged." 

The return march commenced at about five o'clock 
p. M., April 9th, and at four o'clock p. m., April loth, 
the battery arrived at its quarters in New Berne 
without further casualty. 

The official report of the operations of the battery 
on this expedition, made by First Lieut. Thomas 
Simpson, states that during the engagement on the 
9th, " three hundred and two (302) rounds of ammu- 
nition, principally case shot and shell," were ex- 
pended. Referring to the attempt of General 
Spinola to reinforce General Foster or raise the 
siege, there was printed in the New York Tribune on 
the authority of a "gentleman who came from New 
Berne, a passenger on board the Mary Sanford, that 
about fifty men of one of the Rhode Island batteries 
who were with him, had volunteered to take the 
rebel battery, and we were about to do it, when one 
of General Spinola's aids rode up with peremptory 
orders to retreat." The name of the gentleman is un- 
known to the writer, and it is impossible to learn 
11 



82 BATTERY F, 

how he became possessed with such knowledge. In 
the interest of truth, however, it must be stated that 
no Rhode Island artillerymen volunteered to per- 
form such duty, however brave and patriotic such 
action might have been, and we feel bound to say 
further that the men of Belger's battery had been 
taught and drilled to stand by and depend upon the 
guns, and for that reason principally were unarmed, 
not even carrying revolvers. It would have been a 
novelty in warfare for fifty unarmed men to storm an 
earth-work in broad davlight. 

The next movement for the relief of the garrison 
at Washington occurred on the night of April 12th, 
when the steam transport Escort with the Fifth 
Rhode Island Heavy Artillery, Col. Henry T. Sisson, 
on board, and a supply of ammunition and stores, ran 
the batteries on the river and arrived safely at the 
wharf in Washington without loss. On the 15th 
General Foster returned with the same steamer by 
daylight. The steamer was struck forty times on the 
return, but no material damage was done. The pilot 
was killed. 

General Foster arrived in New Berne from Wash- 
ington, N. C., by the steamer Escort o\\ the 15th of 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. 83 

April, and, on the 17th, with the force that could be 
collected in and around New Berne, amounting to 
about ten thousand men, started to return overland 
to the relief of the garrison, and to raise the siege. 
Battery F accompanied the expedition, having been 
assigned to Heckman's Brigade, which led the ad- 
vance. Brigadier-General Heckman (Charles A.), in 
his official report of the march states that they cov- 
ered but seven miles the first day, 17th, "the road 
for a great part of the way being of the most horrid 
character. 

" The column not having closed up, I placed Bel- 
ger's Battery, commanded by Lieutenant Simpson, 
in position, and my two regiments of infantry and a 
squadron of cavalry, commanded by Lieutenant 
Beecher, in line to support them. I then ordered the 
troops to bivouac for the night." 

The command marched over the same route as was 
taken by General Spinola the previous week, which 
was of course quite familiar to the battery. Early on 
the morning of the i8th the march was continued 
and Blount's Creek reached at about 3.30 p. m. The 
bridge had been destroyed and appearances indicated 
that the enemy was in full retreat, having abandoned 



84 BATTERY F, 

the attempt to capture Washington with the small 
force defending it, as they did the similar attempt 
upon New Berne the previous month, although a 
much more determined effort was made at Wash- 
ington. The bridge over Blount's Creek was soon re- 
paired sufficiently to allow passage of the troops, 
when the battery crossed and went into bivouac for 
the night a short distance beyond. The march was 
continued on the 19th, the battery arriving at Wash- 
ington during the afternoon of that day, but remained 
outside until the 21st, when it entered the town. 
The enemy's forces retired before the advance of 
this column, which pushed their rear guard, captured 
the battle-flag of the Seventh Confederate Cavalry 
(Georgia), and some prisoners. 

Battery F remained at Washington until April 
28th, when it returned to its quarters in New Berne 
by transport, having been absent twelve days. There 
were no losses in the battery during this second trip 
to Washington, and the slight damage inflicted on 
either side would indicate that the movements of 
both armies were easily resisted; there was a lack of 
that persistence which insured success ; and, com- 
pared with the desperate encounters of the later 




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FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. 85 

campaigns of the war, the attacks upon New Berne 
in March and Washington, N. C, in April, 1863, 
were little more than mere skirmishes. 

Nothing occurred during the following few weeks 
to break the monotony of camp life. Mounted drills 
in the early morning to avoid the heat of the day, 
took place every pleasant morning, and no further 
duty except stable and guard was performed until 
late in the afternoon, when the " manual of the 
piece" occupied the attention of the men for an hour. 
Thus the time passed until July 4, 1863, when 
another movement into the enemy's country was 
made. 

Several changes had taken place in the officers of 
the battery. First Lieutenants Charles H. Pope and 
George W. Field resigned their commissions, the 
former Oct. 6, 1862, and the latter Oct. 26, 1862. 
Second Lieutenants Thomas Simpson and William 
A. Arnold were commissioned first lieutenants Nov. 5, 
1862. First Lieut. William A. Arnold resigned May 
4, 1863. Sergt. Peter C. Smith was promoted to sec- 
ond lieutenant Nov. 5, 1862, and first lieutenant May 
14, 1863 ; Ouartermaster-Sergt. Albert E. Adams, of 
Battery A, aiDpointed second lieutenant in Battery F, 



86 BATTERY F, 

Dec. 4, 1862, and joined for duty in January, 1863; 
and First Sergt. Piiilip S. Chase, of Battery F, pro- 
moted to second lieutenant May 14, 1863. Several 
promotions to other commands had also taken place, 
which appear in the roster as published with this 
work. The commissioned officers in Battery F, on 
the 1st day of July, 1863, were : Capt. James Bel- 
ger ; First Lieutenants Thomas Simpson and Peter 
C. Smith ; Second Lieutenants Albert E. Adams and 
Philip S. Chase. 

On the first day of July, 1863, Special Orders No. 
186, were issued from Headquarters Department of 
North Carolina, Eighteenth Army Corps, paragraph 
8, of which directed that Belger's Battery be "pre- 
pared immediately to move with 100 extra rounds of 
ammunition and five days' rations of oats only for the 
horses. The men will take two ds. rations in hav- 
ersacks and three ds. in bulk. The commanding 
officer of the battery will report to Brig.-Gen. Heck- 
man to-morrow for orders." 

The orders required the battery to report on the 
Trent road at 3.30 o'clock on the morning of July 
4th, where the command would form and take up the 
march in the following order: Ninth New Jersey 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. 



87 



Volunteers, Belger's Rhode Island Battery, Twenty- 
third Massachusetts Volunteers, Eighty-first New 
York Volunteers and Seventeenth Massachusetts 
Volunteers. The object of the move was to advance 




Lieut. Philip S. Chase. 



to Trenton, N. C, and hold the bridges and roads to 
cover the return of a force of cavalry, about six hun- 
dred and fifty men, under command of Lieut. -Col. 
George W. Lewis, Third New York Cavalry, which 
left New Berne on the morning of the 3d of July, to 



8S BATTERY F, 

destroy the enemy's communications by the Wil- 
mington and Weldon Railroad, which they accom- 
plished by tearing up the track at Warsaw, and also 
destroyed much other property. 

The command to which the battery was attached 
marched through Pollocksville and bivouacked that 
night on the road to Trenton, twenty miles from New 
Berne. At daylight on the morning of the 5th, the 
march was resumed, arriving at Trenton at about 
eight o'clock a. m. Passing through the village, the 
column halted at the forks of the Comfort and Qua- 
ker Bridge roads. On the morning of the 6th one 
section of the battery under command of Lieut. 
Peter C. Smith, was sent with the Twenty-third 
Massachusetts, Lieutenant-Colonel 'Chambers, to the 
forks of the Comfort and Free Bridge road. There 
on arrival the guns were placed in position to cover 
both roads and a reconnoissance made to the bridge, 
which discovered the enemy in small force with artil- 
lery. Lieutenant Smith opened with his guns, firing 
a few rounds. General Heckman's report states : 
"The enemy again opened on us with artillery, but a 
few well directed shots by Lieutenant Smith soon si- 
lenced them." The engagement was of the nature 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. 89 

of a skirmish, with no loss to the battery except that 
of ammunition. 

The cavah'y reached the command on its return 
from the railroad about six o'clock on the afternoon 
of the 6th, when the whole force immediately took 
up the march for New Berne, the battery arriving at 
its quarters in the city the next day, having covered 
a distance of about sixty miles. 

During the summer of 1863 a number of expedi- 
tions for the purpose of burning railroad bridges and 
destroying railroad tracks moved into the interior 
from New Berne. Not all were entirely successful. 
One was started from Portsmouth, Va., toward Wel- 
don, N. C, which was supported by a force from New 
Berne, to which the battery was assigned. On the 
24th of July Battery F was embarked at New Berne, 
N. C, on the steamer Escort. The next morning, 
Saturday, July 25th, she steamed out of the river 
up the sounds, past Roanoke Island, and entered the 
Chowan River, a stream navigable but a short dis- 
tance, which flows from the northwest and empties 
into Albemarle Sound near its western limits. The 
steamer arrived at Winton, N. C, Sunday, July 26th, 
and the battery immediately disembarked. One 



90 BATTERY F, 

section was moved forward by hand to a bridge 
over a small stream, on the road to Weldon, called 
Pottecasy Creek. Just before reaching the bridge an 
earth-work was discovered thrown across the road, and 
a slight skirmish took place. One gun only of the 
battery was brought iiito action and but two rounds 
fired, the infantry promptly driving the enemy from 
the work and across the bridge. 

The force from New Berne to which the battery 
was assigned was to hold this bridge and road for the 
cavalry which left Portsmouth, Va., July 25th, for 
Weldon, N. C. The cavalry advanced to about two 
miles west of Jackson, N. C, where they met the 
enemy intrenched, and after an engagement with- 
drew. Maj. Samuel Wetherell, commanding Eleventh 
Pennsylvania Cavalry, reports : " The advance bat- 
talion, under Captain Loomis, and two howitzers, 
Lieut. (Lucian F.) Prudhomme, charged into the 
town (Jackson), and drove General Ransom, C. S. 
Army, and staff at full chase into their intrenchments, 
situated so as to defend a causeway and mill seat, 
two miles west of Jackson, charging to within forty 
yards of the breastworks, which General Ransom 
and ]^arty reached fifty yards ahead." 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. " 9I 

Gen. Matt. W. Ransom, Confederate States Army, 
reports from Boone's Mill, July 29, 1863 : "We met 
the enemy yesterday at this point, twelve miles be- 
low Weldon, and, after a brisk fight of four hours, 
we repulsed them. . . . Last night they fell 
back hastily towards Murfreesboroughor Winton." 

The two guns of the battery remained at the 
bridge until July 30th, when they were hauled back 
to Winton and joined the remainder of the battery, 
all embarking on the steamer Curleiv, which sailed 
at once for New Berne, where it arrived late in the 
afternoon of the first day of August. 
^ The official report of the part taken by Battery F 
in the expedition, as made to the assistant adjutant- 
general of the brigade, is as follows : 

Headquarters Battery Y, ist Regt., R. I. Lt. Art'y. 
New Kerne, N. C, Aug. i, 1S63. 

Capt. W. H. Abell, A. A. 6-'., Hccktnaiis Brii^adc, iS/// 

Army Corps : 

Captain : I have the honor to submit the following 
report of the service of Battery F, ist Regt. R. 1. Lt. 
Artillery, on the recent expedition in this Department. 

The battery embarked on board the steamer Escort 
July 24, 1S63, and sailed from New Berne, N. C, July 25, 
1863. Arrived at Winton, N. C, July 26, 1863. Disem- 



92 BATTERY F, 

barked and moved forward with one section towards the 
bridge over Pottecasy Creek. Engaged the enemy at the 
ritie-pits near the bridge with one piece, firing two ( 2 ) 
rounds of ammunition. Returning, left \\'inton, N. C, on 
board steamer Curlew, July 30, 1863, arriving at New 
Berne, N. C, Aug. i, 1S63. No casualties. 
I am, Captain, very respectfully, 

Your obedient servant, 

THOS. SIMPSON, 
\st Lie lit. \st Rcgt. R. I. Lt. Arfy, 

Cci/idg. Battery F. 

Abotit this time the Resolutions of the General 
Assembly of Rhode Island, passed July 16, 1863, 
were received. They were as follows : , 

STATE OF RHODE ISLAND AND PROVIDENCE 
PLANTATIONS. 



Resolutions in Regard to the Volunteer Soldiers 
OF THE State of Rhode Island. 



Resol-eed, 'i'hat the (jeneral Assembly hereby declares 
its high appreciation of the distinguished services of the 
volunteer soldiers of the State of Rhode Island, on numer- 
ous fields of perilous dutv, in bravely maintaining her 
honor, enhancing her reputation, and illustrating her his- 
tor\- anew, 1)V their courage, lovaltv. patriotism, and valor. 
'i"hc Ciencrat .\ssembl)- proudly and gratefully recognizes 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY, 93 

their claims to tlie approval and regard of their fellow- 
citizens, and renewedly pledges to them its cordial good 
will and its unfaltering support. 

Resolved, That the General Assembly tenders expres- 
sions of sympathy to the many hearts and homes that 
have been bereaved and saddened by the casualties of the 
present conHict, and assures them that the state will ever 
cherish the memory of the brave men who have fallen in 
the defence of Union, Liberty, and Law. 

Resolved, That His Excellency the Governor be directed 
to transmit copies of the above resolutions to the com- 
manding officers of the regiments belonging to Rhode 
Island now in the held. 

I certify the above to be a true copy : 

In testimony whereof I have hereto set my hand and 
affixed the seal of the State this sixteenth day of July, 
A. D. 1863. 

JOHN R. BARTLETT, 

Seeretary of State. 

During the months of August and September the 
battery remained in quarters, taking no part in raids 
or expeditions, with nothing to break the monotony 
of routine duty, except an occasional inspection or 
review. 

Saturday, Oct. lo, 1863, Special Orders No. 121, 
Headquarters Forces and Defences of New Berne, 



94 BATTERY F. 

were issued, paragraph III. of which directed that 
"the comd'g officer of Battery F, ist R. I. Light 
Artillery will detail from his command one section 
(complete) for immediate special duty. Two days' 
rations and six days' forage will be taken. 
The section will move by water transportation by 9 
p. M. to-night." 

First Lieut. Peter C. Smith with the right section 
was detailed and reported to Col. S. H. Mix, Third 
New York Cavalry, who modified the order, directing 
that the guns only be taken. 

The object of the raid is set forth in the letter of 
instructions to Colonel Mix, dated New Berne, Oct. 
10, 1863, from which is taken the following : " You 
will proceed with 300 cavalry of the Third New York 
and of Mix's new regiment and a section of Belger's 
battery to Elizabeth City, N. C, to-night, by trans- 
ports. ... It having been reported that Colonel 
Hinton is raising a regiment of conscripts in Pasquo- 
tank and the adjacent counties, and endeavoring by 
all means in his power to enforce the rebel conscrip- 
tion law, you will endeavor to ascertain the truth of 
these representations, and, if possible, break up his 
operations and disperse his camp." 




Dr. Albert Potter. 



( Surg-eon Fifth Rhode /s/aiiJ H,-nvy Artillerw who had im-dical charge of 
Battery Fzuhile it remained in Korth Carolina.) 



96 BATTERY F, 

The two guns of the battery landed at Elizabeth 
City, from which point they were maneuvered in con- 
nection with the movements of the cavalry, but did 
not become engaged. They arrived at New Berne 
on their return, October i6th, without incident. 
This was the last raid in North Carolina participated 
in by the battery, as soon after it was transferred to 
Virginia. 

Just before leaving North Carolina, before orders 
had been issued making the change in station, Maj. 
S. V. Harbert, paymaster United States Army, 
visited the battery for the purpose of paying the men 
for the months of July and August. His visit caused 
considerable uneasiness in the battery, or perhaps it 
is more proper to state, to certain members of the 
battery, for the reason that he refused to pay all the 
officers and non-commissioned officers, acting under 
instructions of the secretary of war. The corre- 
spondence on the subject was as follows : 

Headc^uarters Pay Dept., 
New Berne, N. C, Oct. 19, 1863. 
Capt. Jas. ISklc.kr. 

Sir : L'pon comparison of the imister rolls of your 
coini^any with (icneral ( )r(lers \o. 126, I find it deficient in 



FIRST K. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. 97 

the requisite number of privates (122). As the instruc- 
tions from the Secretary of War to Alaj.-Gen. Foster par- 
ticularly refer to that point I do not see how I can pay 
the extra officers which I would be pleased to do if I 
could. 

I am very resp'y, 

Your Obt. Svt., 

S. V. HARBERT, 

J\ixmastci% U. S. A. 

Two commissioned and six non-commissioned offi- 
cers were not paid, causing a communication from 
Captain Belger, viz. : 

Headquarters Battery " F," 

1ST R. I. Lt. Art'v, 
New Berne, N. C, Oct. 20, 1863. 
Major : 

I have the honor to inform you that in obedience 
to General Orders No. 126, dated War Dept., Adj. Gen- 
eral's Office, Washington, Sept. 6, 1S62, I am obliged to 
muster out of service two commissioned officers and six 
non-commissioned officers. 

My total enlisted to-day is 132, as follows : 8 sergeants, 
12 corporals, 2 buglers, i artificer, i wagoner, and 108 
privates. I require 14 privates to fill my battery to the 
number specified in said orders, and retain the excess of 
officers and non-commissioned officers. 

13 



98 IBATTERY F, 

I have enlisted men enough to work six guns (although 
not the required number), but if compelled to muster out 
two officers shall be obliged to drop two guns. 

The Pay Dep't has refused to pay the excess of officers 
and non-commissioned officers. 

I enclose copy of letter dated Hd. Qrs. Pay Dept., 
New Berne, N. C, Oct. 19, 1863, in relation to the pay- 
ment of officers, also copy of letter to Major-General 
Foster, dated Adj. General's Office, \\'ashington, D. C, 
Oct. 30, 1862, in relation to retaining extra Lieuts., (S:c. 
I am, Major, very respectfully, 

Your ( )bt. Servt., 

JAS. BELGER, 
Capt. \st R. I. Lt. Arty. 

Cinjurg Battery "/\" 
Major B. B. Foster, 

Asst. Adj. General. 



{First riuIorscDiciit. ) 
Hdqrs. E. & L). OF New Berne, 

New Berne, Oct. 24, '63. 

Respectfully forwarded for the consideration 

of the Commanding General. J5y reference to 

G. O. No. 182, W. D., A. G. O., s. c, it appears 

that 86 aggregate is the niininuun for a battery. 

THOS. I. C. AMORY, 

Col. \']tli A/ass. f)>/s. Co Duly;. 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. QQ 

(Scc'o/ii/ ciulorscDicut. ) 
Ref cl to Head Qrs. Dept. of Vir. & N. C. 
JOHN J. PECK, 

Maj.-Gcii I. 



( Third ciidorscnioit. ) 
Head(^)Rs. Dept. of Va. &: No. Ca., 

Fort Monroe, Nov'br 15, 1863. 
Respectfully forwarded to the Adj't-Gen'l with 
the request that the Pay Dept. be authorized 
to pay the extra officers and non-commissioned 
officers allowed by Gen'l Orders 126, series '62. 
This battery is one of the very best in this 
Dept., and it would, in my opinion, be preju- 
dicial to the interests of the service to have the 
battery reduced to four guns. The number of 
men required ( 14) can no doubt, be easily re- 
cruited if authority be granted for a recruiting 
party to be sent from this battery to Rhode 

Island. 

J]ENJ. F. BUTLER, 

Maj.-Geif 1 Coiiidg. 



{Foiii-fli cndorscnicut.) 
War Dept., A. G. Office, 

Nov. 27, 1863. 
Respectfully returned. This battery is not 
reduced to the minimum strength, and therefore 



lOO BATTERY F. 

it is not necessary to muster out the extra officers 
and non-commissioned officers. 

By order of the Secretary of War, 

THOMAS M. A^NCENT, 

Asst. Adj. -Gen" I. 



{Fifth iiiiiorscijiciit. ) 
Hd. Qrs. Dept. Va. & N. C, 

Ft. ^NIuxroe, Dec. 2, 1863. 
Respectfully returned to Capt. Belger with 
reference to endorsement from War Dept. 
By command of Gen. BUTLER, 

R. S. Davis, 

Maj. 6- A. A. G. 



( Sixth oidoiscmcnt. ) 
Hd. Qrs. Heckman's Brig., 
Newport News, Va., Dec. 3, 1863. 
Respectfully returned to Capt. Belger with 
reference to previous endorsements. 
By command of Brig.-Gen. C. A. HECKMAN, 

W. H. Abell, 

A. A. G. 

Thus after many days the question was settled, 

the excess of officers and non-commissioned officers 

received pay, and the command remained a six-gun 
battery. 



CHAPTER V, 



From New Berne, N. C, to Newport News, Va. 

IN October, 1863, General Lee made a demonstra- 
tion with the Army of Northern Virginia, passing 
the right flank of the Army of the Potomac, indi- 
cating another excursion into Maryland and Pennsyl- 
vania. General-in-Chief H. W. Halleck telegraphed 
from Washington to Major-Gen. J. G. Foster, Com- 
manding Department of Virginia and North Caro- 
lina, at Fort Monroe, Va., at 9 o'clock p. m. October 
20th : " Advices from Richmond are that every 
available man, except some local militia or home 
guards, has moved with Lee's army against Meade. 
Is it not possible under these circumstances to move 
up the York River, destroy the railroad bridges, and 
threaten Richmond, so as to draw back some of Lee's 
forces .'' Please answer." General Foster replied at 



I02 BATTERY F, 

10.30 P. M., same date : "Telegram received. I will 
attempt what you propose, and do it if possible." 

Following out the suggestion, General Foster on 
the 21st of October issued Special Orders No. 93, 
paragraph VI. of which read : " Major-Gen. J. J. 
Peck, commanding District of North Carolina, will 
order the following troops under his command to 
proceed at once to this point (Fort Monroe, Va.) 
with all possible dispatch : Twenty-fifth Regiment 
Massachusetts Volunteers, Third Regiment New 
York Cavalry, Battery F First Rhode Island Artil- 
lery, Howell's Battery Third New York Artillery, 
and Riggs' Battery Third New York Artillery." 
The same order directed the troops in Getty's division 
at Norfolk and Portsmouth and the troops at Newport 
News to be " prepared to embark to-morrow morning 
at daylight." 

Further correspondence between General Halleck 
and General Foster took place on the 21st by tele- 
graph, in which General Foster favored making the 
demonstration up the James River instead of the 
York, breaking the railroad connection south and 
southwest of Petersburg. General Halleck replied 
at 10.30 A. M. : "The object is to break railroads 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. IO3 

between Richmond and General Lee's army. 
Having driven Meade across Bull Run, and destroyed 
the railroad, Lee is now falling back." At 2.30 p. m. 
General Halleck telegraphs : " Dispatches from Gen- 
eral Meade render it advisable that you make no 
movement till further orders." 

General Foster then suspended so much of Special 
Orders No. 93 as directed troops to be ready to em- 
bark, but paragraph VL remained, and Battery F 
was to leave North Carolina. 

Oct. 30, 1863, was occupied in putting on board the 
steamers Ella May, Pilot Boy and Colonel Rnckcr X\i^ 
battery, its property and stores. At midnight the 
work was completed, lines were cast off, and with 
feelings of regret and sorrow, for many agreeable as- 
sociations had been formed, the men bade farewell to 
New Berne and the comfortable quarters which had 
been extremely pleasant as their home since March, 
1862. 

Just two years' service had at this time been given 
to the country, and certainly there had been no cause 
for complaint. While undoubtedly the battery had 
not encountered such severe fighting as fell to the lot 
of troops in some departments, it had met with expe- 



I04 



BATTERY F, 



riences not common to light batteries. It had been 
a part of a semi-naval force, the Burnside Coast Di- 
vision ; it was knocked about on shipboard during 
the storm off Hatteras which caused such disaster to 




First Sergt. Simeon Gallup. 

the expedition and anxiety to friends at home ; had 
twice landed from vessels by throwing horses over- 
board and towing them ashore by small boats, and 
rafting the guns and other property to the land ; had 
made numerous raids both by land and water in the 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY, I05 

Department of North Carolina ; had served for seve- 
ral weeks as cavalry after the occupation of New 
Berne, and had made a reputation in the depart- 
ment of which all felt proud. It was not strange, 
therefore, that a feeling of heaviness prevailed as the 
command left the scenes of its exploits and sailed 
for the unknown duties which were before it. 

The route by which the battery was to reach 
Fort Monroe, lay overland from Camden, N. C, 
through the Dismal Swamp. The Third New York 
Cavalry and Riggs' New York Battery accompanied 
it. The three transports upon which Battery F 
made the first part of the journey, /. e., from New 
Berne to Camden, N. C, came to anchor off Roanoke 
Island about six o'clock on the evening of October 
31st, and the men were mustered for pay, it being the 
regular date for that ceremony. At about eleven 
o'clock same evening the fleet " weighed anchors," 
and proceeded to Elizabeth City, N. C, arriving at 
about four o'clock on the morning of November ist. 
This place, situated near the mouth of the Pasquo- 
tank River, a small stream flowing from the north 
and emptying into Albermarle Sound on its northern 
shore, had been frequently visited by the Union 



I06 BATTERY F, 

forces, but no permanent occupation taken place. It 
was in the river off this village that the rebel flotilla, 
driven after the capture of Roanoke Island, was at- 
tacked by Commander Rowan with the Union gun- 
boats, and completely destroyed. The men and 
horses of the battery disembarked here on the ist of 
November, remaining until the next morning, when 
they re-embarked, and the transports steamed up the 
river to Camden, N. C, a distance of about three 
miles. At this place all the property was unloaded, 
and at sunrise November 3d, the command took up 
the line of march for South ^lills, about fourteen miles 
distant, at which point the Dismal Swamp canal was 
reached. A squadron of the Third New York Cav- 
alry, with two mountain howitzers, led the advance, 
followed by a section of Belger's Battery, commanded 
by Lieut. Philip S. Chase. The advance was some- 
what annoyed by guerrillas, and at one point enjoyed 
the privilege of capturing an earth-work which was 
not occupied. The disposition of the troops and 
prompt action gave, however, additional evidence of 
the efficiency of the Third New York Cavalry. 
Emerging from the woods into a clearing upon the 
opposite side of which stretched the earth-work, some 



FIRST K. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. JO/ 

three hundred yards away, the advanced company 
promptly dismounted and deployed as skirmishers ; 
the two howitzers were brought to the front and 
threw a few shell into the works ; the skirmishers 
advanced rapidly to the parapet to find — a deserted 
vi^ork with no signs of having been recently occupied. 

This affair with some guerrilla skirmishing and a 
single shell from one of the guns of Lieutenant Chase's 
section of the battery, fired up a cross-road where a few 
persons were seen, comprised all the fighting which 
took place on that march. 

South Mills was reached at about eleven o'clock 
A. M., and, taking the tow-path of the canal, the com- 
mand pushed on to Deep Creek, Va. , where it ar- 
rived at about eleven o'clock in the evening, having 
marched over forty-one miles since morning. The 
weather was fine, the tow-path in excellent condition 
for traveling, and the march proved to be a pleasant 
experience. , The canal was nearly dry and several 
vessels were noticed "high and dry," apparently un- 
serviceable. 

The battery bivouacked for the night at Deep 
Creek, near the camps of the Union forces, and at 
nine o'clock next morning, November 4th, took the 



io8 



BATTERY F, 



road for Portsmouth, Va,, arriving at about eleven 
o'clock. It was a real November day, cold and blus- 
tering, and it is safe to say that the men passed during 
their service very few more tedious and uncomfort- 




Corp. John O. Winsor. 

able. The battery was marched to a wharf where it 
remained until nearly sunset waiting for a steamer to 
transport it to Fort Monroe. The transport Con- 
queror arrived alongside the wharf at last, and no time 
was lost in embarking. The Conqjtcror reached Fort 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. IO9 

Monroe at about eleven o'clock in the evening, but 
after some parleying the battery was ordered to re- 
main on board until morning. 

Disembarking on the morning of the 5th of Novem- 
ber the line of march was taken for Newport News, 
Va., arriving at about three o'clock in the afternoon. 
At Newport News were encamped many familiar or- 
ganizations, troops from New Berne, which had pre- 
ceded the battery, organized as Heckman's Brigade, 
commanded by Brig.-Gen. C. A. Heckman, late col- 
onel of the Ninth New Jersey Volunteers. The bat- 
tery was assigned to this force, which consisted of 
six regiments of infantry, one of cavalry, and three 
light batteries. It immediately went into camp 
making all preparations for remaining through the 
winter. 



CHAPTER VI 



Newport News, Point Lookout, and Yorktown. 

ON arrival of the battery at Newport News, Va., 
Captain Belger was assigned chief of artillery, 
Heckman's Bricfade. There were in the brigade at 
that time three light batteries, viz., F, First Rhode 
Island, M and H, Third New York Artillery. The 
order making the appointment reads : 

Headquarters Heckman's Brigade, 

Newport News, Va., Nov. 7. 1863. 

Spi'i'id/ Ori/cr ^V(). 60. 

("apt. James Belger. f]attery F, First R. I. Art., is 
hereby appointed Chief of Artillery at this Post. His 
comniaiul will be composed of the following Batteries : 
Battery F, ist R. 1. Art., 
M, 3d N. V. Art., 
•• H.3d " " 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. Ill 

All communications and reports intended for these or 
higher Headquarters will be forwarded thro' proper chan- 
nels. 

By command of Brig.-Gen. C. A. HECKMAN, 

W. H. Abell, 

A. A. G. 

The routine of military duty was taken up, the 
camp prepared for comfortable occupancy during the 
winter, and drills, reviews, and inspections furnished 
employment for all. 

In December, 1863, reenlistments under authority 
as promulgated by General Orders No. 191, War De- 
partment, commenced and continued until March 31, 
1864, under the same and subsequent orders. The 
State of Rhode Island also offered inducements for re- 
enlistments and the governor issued the following 
address : 

State of Rhode Island, 

Executive Department, 
Providence, Dec. 15. 1863. 
Soldiers of Rhode Island : 

By General (Jrders No. 191, from the War Department, 
you are offered a bounty of four hundred dollars and 
granted certain privileges if you will reiinlist for " three 
years, unless sooner discharged." To this Rhode Island 
desires to add her bounty of three hundred dollars, and 



112 BATTERY F, 

SO, in part, repay the debt she owes those brave men 
who, at the commencement of this rebeUion, freely offered 
their lives, without setting a price upon their services. 

Now an opportunity is given you to reenlist, and re- 
ceive a liberal bounty from your State as well as your 
Government. 

The term for which you enlisted has not yet expired, 
but by enlisting for three years from the present time, un- 
less sooner discharged, you can receive these bounties 
now held out to you. 

Everything now indicates that your services will not be 
required three years longer, therefore, by reenlisting un- 
der this order you commence your new term before the 
expiration of your first one, and are, also, by General 
Orders No. 376, War Department, granted a furlough of 
thirty clays before the expiration of your original term of 
enlistment. 

These advantages are held out to you if you rei'nlist 
before the 5th day of January next, and it is evident that 
no better opportunity can occur for those who desire to 
again enter the service of their country. 

Soldiers ! the l^nion still needs your services ! Now is 
the time to again offer yourselves for the preservation of 
that government which has so long protected you and 
your homes. 

JAMES V. SMITH. 

J]y His P^xcellency the Governor, 
Chas. E. I'aii.fa, 

Colonel lUiil I'rirate Seeretarv. 



FIRST K. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY, 



113 



Twenty-nine members of the battery accepted the 
offer and reenlisted for "three years unless sooner 
discharged," twenty-six of whom remained in the ser- 
vice as members of Battery F until the close of the 




Corp. Edward Wilcox. 

war. Of the remaining three one was killed in action, 
one wounded in action and discharged, and one de- 
serted while on veteran furlough. 

The United States had located a camp of Confed- 
erate prisoners at Point Lookout, Md. In Decem- 



I 14 BATTERY F, 

ber, 1863, it was rumored that the large number of 
prisoners at that place were uneasy and meditating 
an attempt to escape, and on the twenty-second day 
of that month Special Orders No. 209, Headquarters 
Heckman's Brigade, was issued, directing Battery F 
to proceed immediately to Point Lookout. The next 
day, 23d, the battery was loaded on the steamer 
Conqueror and landed at the prisoners' camp on the 
morning of the 24th. 

Point Lookout is at the mouth of the Potomac 
River, on the Maryland side. Before the war it was 
a somewhat noted resort for pleasure seekers and in- 
valids. The large boarding-house, perhaps it might 
have been termed a hotel, which had undoubtedly 
witnessed many pleasant gatherings from north and 
south in days gone, was at the time occupied by the 
United States government, and-the representatives 
from the south, in large numbers, were carefully cared 
for in an enclosed camp, with every precaution that 
no one of the number should get lost or stray from 
the sight of their northern visitors. 

As the treatment shown those men by the govern- 
ment is recalled and contrasted with the accounts 
written by Union prisoners of the hardships and pri- 



FIRST R. J. LIGHT ARTILLERY. II5 

vations at Andersonville and other southern prisons, 
it brings to mind again that in the exchange of 
prisoners the Confederates were important gainers, 
for, as a rule, the rebels from northern prisons were 
returned sound, well fed, and able bodied, while the 
Union soldiers from the southern prisons came north 
starved, sick, and broken down, entirely unfit for ser. 
vice. 

The force guarding the prisoners in December, 
1863, consisted of the Second, Fifth, and Twelfth 
New Hampshire Infantry, two companies of the 
Fourth United States Cavalry, and Battery F, First 
Rhode Island Light Artillery, all under the command 
of Brig.-Gen. Oilman Marston. 

The duties at Point Lookout were rather irksome, 
principally waiting for "something to turn up," al- 
though a mounted drill took place occasionally. 

The battery remained at this station until the 23d 
of January, 1864, about four weeks, when it was re- 
lieved by the Second Wisconsin Battery. The Wis- 
consin battery arrived by steamer during the night 
of the 19th, and disembarked. On the morning of 
the 20th it moved to the left of Battery F and went 
into park. The officers of Battery F felt sure that 



Il6 BATTERY F, 

a change of station would soon take place, and were 
very glad to receive, on the 21st of January, orders 
for the battery to proceed to Yorktown, Va. Ac- 
cordingly, Saturday, January 23d, the steamers Jo]in 
Tucker and Convoy received the battery on board, 
sailed from Point Lookout at about one o'clock p. i\r., 
and arrived at Yorktown at about eight o'clock in the 
evening. Disembarking immediately the battery 
proceeded to the barracks vacated by the Second 
Wisconsin Battery when it went to Point Lookout. 
The barracks were located inside Fort Yorktown, 
upon ground already memorable for scenes enacted 
during the War for Lidependence and also the War 
of the Rebellion. The situation was delightful, upon 
a high level, the view quite extended, and, no doubt, 
the members of Battery F have many times recalled 
with pleasure the hours spent upon the parapet of the 
old fort, where possibly they indulged in day dreams 
of the future, working out a career for themselves 
as they would have it, or, may be, endeavored to 
form some idea of the closing acts of the Revolution, 
which took place near the spot. 

Captain Belger, who had remained at Newport 
News as chief of artillerv, arrived at Yorktown on the 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. 11/ 

27th of January, and took command of the battery 
which had been commanded by First Lieut. Thomas 
Simpson since the captain's detail, on the 7th of No- 
vember, 1863. 

The quarters at Fort Vorktown were comfortable 
and convenient. The officers occupied three log- 
houses, and the enlisted men two large log-barracks. 
There were also other buildings for quartermaster 
and commissary stores and other property, cook- 
house, stable, etc. Expecting to remain until the 
spring campaign opened, the captain sent for his 
family and set up housekeeping in two of the log- 
houses, leaving the other for the lieutenants' use. 
The office of the battery was established in a tent 
near the captain's houses. 

Routine camp duties continued until Feb. 5, 1864, 
when the battery received marching orders with six 
days' rations, and, at about three o'clock in the after- 
noon, left quarters and proceeded to Williamsburg, 
arriving at about six and one-half o'clock, where it 
bivouacked for the night. The next morning it 
joined a force consisting of six regiments of infantry, 
two light batteries, and parts of five regiments of 
cavalry, the whole commanded by Brig.-Gen. Isaac J. 




^ > 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. II9 

Wistar. It was believed that a very small force pro- 
tected Richmond at this time, and that a sudden dash 
from the south side might be successful in entering 
the city and doing much damarge, besides liberating 
the Union prisoners at Libby, etc. Accordingly, at 
about half-past ten o'clock Saturday morning, Feb. 
6, 1864, the command marched through Williams- 
burg and " On to Richmond." Perhaps t/ic success 
of the expedition was a general order read to each 
regiment and battery as they were about to start, 
and is here given : 

Headquarters \^'ISTAR's Divisiox, 

Williamsburg, Va., February 6, 1S64. 

General Orders Xo. 4. 

Soldiers : You are about to strike a great and glori- 
ous blow, a blow which has been profoundly considered 
and carefully prepared, but which must fall suddenh', 
silently, irresistibly. 

Our country now asks all your courage, all your en- 
durance. All our brothers-in-arms will envy you the op- 
portunity. I ask you for a few days to encounter, with a 
soldier's readiness, hard fare, wintry bivouacs, and, per- 
haps, calm and steady fighting. 

Respond as you have always done, and I promise you. 



120 BATTERY F, 

with God's blessing, a result which will bring glory to our 
flag, and honor to all who serve under its folds. 

ISAAC J. WISTAR, 

Brii^.-Gcu'l Coindg. 
Official : Ja.mes E. Fleming, 

Captai)i and A. D. C. 

It was tmderstood among the troops that the cav- 
alry of the command had received especial instruc- 
tions to be followed on arriving at Richmond, assign- 
ing to each company or squadron some particular 
duty to perform, such as the capture of Jeff Davis, 
liberate prisoners at Libby, destroy certain public 
property, etc. 

As previously stated, the column passed through 
Williamsburg at about half-past ten o'clock Saturday 
morning, February 6th. The battery continued the 
march until three o'clock on the morning of the /th, 
when it had reached " New Kent Court-House." 
The infantry and artillery were here halted, and a 
rest until six o'clock a. m. taken. The night of the 
6th was very dark, and, as the battery moved on 
the road through the woods it was necessary to keep 
a man with a lantern to the front to enable the 
drivers to keep in the road. It was impossible to see 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. 



121 



objects a few feet away, therefore drivers found it 
wise to keep well closed up. Nothing occurred 
during the night to vary the monotony of the march 
of the battery except as the column was passing 




Corp. Clovis Stone. 

through "Richardson's Mills" a rocket suddenly 
shot into the air and a bright light was seen at a dis- 
tance through an opening in the woods, which were 
probably signals announcing to the enemy the ap- 
proach of the force, as, upon the arrival of the cavalry 



122 BATTERY F, 

at Bottom Bridge, Chickahominy River, at about 
daylight on the 7th (the cavahy did not halt with the 
command at New Kent Court-House), it was found 
to be impassable, and attempts to cross at the 
fords were met by a force of the enemy with artil- 
lery. 

At six o'clock A. M. on the 7th, after three hours' 
rest, the battery moved with the command towards 
Bottom Bridge, and, about noon, met the cavalry re- 
turning. 

The enemy was apparently informed of the move 
and the possibility of striking a blow " suddenly, 
silently, irresistibly," was at an end, therefore the 
command retraced its steps. The battery formed a 
part of the rearguard on the return march. A small 
force of the enemy's cavalry followed and was some- 
what annoying until a gun from the battery was put 
into action, firing four shells into their midst, which 
put an end to further demonstrations on their part. 
The battery reached its quarters at Yorktown at 
about four o'clock in the afternoon of the 9th of Feb- 
ruary, and the expedition ended minus the "glorious 
results" predicted in the general order of Brigadier- 
General Wistar before mentioned. 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. 123 

On the return of the command measures were at 
once taken to ascertain the cause of the defeat of the 
plans, or rather how the information reached the 
enemy in time to defend the crossings at the Chicka- 
hominy River. As a result of the investigation Pri- 
vate Thomas Abrahams, Company G, One Hundred 
and Thirty-ninth New York Volunteers, was arrested, 
tried by court-martial, convicted of some connection 
with the divulging of the plans, and sentenced to be 
" shot to death with musketry." The proceedings, 
findings, and sentence of the court were approved, 
and, on the seventh day of March, 1864, the sentence 
was carried into effect in the presence of all the 
troops stationed at Yorktown. 

The execution took place on the plain south of 
Fort Yorktown. The troops were formed in line, on 
three sides of a parallelogram, the battery at one end, 
and the prisoner sitting on his coffin at the other. 
When all were in position the order condemning the 
prisoner to death was read to the troops by the adju- 
tant of each organization ; the firing detail marched 
into the centre, near the prisoner; the detail was 
divided into two parties, one of eight men, who con- 
stituted the main firing party, and one of four men 



124 BATTERY F, 

as a reserve, to be used in case the first fire was not 
effective; the prisoner was blindfolded and the work 
very quickly performed. In this case no call was 
made for the reserve firing party. The body re- 
mained as it fell across the cofifin and the whole com- 
mand was marched in review, as it were, before the 
dead man. As each company arrived opposite the 
body the command was given " Eyes right," that 
each and all might receive a lasting impression of the 
penalty of treason. This was the only execution 
witnessed by the whole battery, although others took 
place at Yorktown. 

An account of the execution published in The Cav- 
alier, a newspaper printed at Yorktown, in its issue 
of March 7, 1864, reads as follows: 

Private Thomas Abrahams, of Company G. 139th 
New York Yolunteers, found guilty by court-martial of 
giving intelHgence to the enemy, in violation of the 57th 
Article of War, and advising and persuading another sol- 
dier to desert the service of the United States, in viola- 
tion of the 23d Article of War, was shot, this morning, at 
this place. 

Abrahams was the sentinel placed over William J. 
Boyle, of the ist N. Y. Mounted Rifles, a prisoner under 
sentence of death at Fort Ma^ruder, on the niirht of that 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. 1 25 

prisoner's escape, and the testimony against him shows 
that he put Boyle in possession of vakiable information 
in regard to an expedition against Richmond, and then 
wilfully and maliciously advised and assisted him to es- 
cape to the enemy's lines with such information. 

He was ordered to be shot to death with musketry 
within forty-eight hours after hearing his sentence read, 
which took place at sunset on Saturday. 

Abrahams was much affected upon hearing his sen- 
tence, and protested his innocence, weeping bitterly. 
The prisoner desired that a Catholic priest should be 
sent for to act as his spiritual adviser, and one arrived 
yesterday evening, from Norfolk, and entered upon his 
good work with zeal. We are unable to learn his name. 
He also expressed a strong desire to see his wife and 
children, who reside in P3rooklyn, and requested that two 
of his comrades-in-arms might be sent for, but it was im- 
possible for them to reach this place before the time 
appointed for his death. 

The spot selected for the execution was outside the 
fort, near the southern gate, and every arrangement was 
made to render the melancholy spectacle what it should 
be. a solemn and impressive warning to all who witnessed 
it. At ten o'clock the 148th N. Y. Vols., i6th X. V. Ar- 
tillery, and Belger's and Hunt's Batteries, were upon the 
ground and formed three sides of a square, opening 
towards the river. Soon after Colonels West and Spear, 
with the officers of their staffs, the officers of General 
Wistar's staff. Surgeon \'oorhees and others, made their 



126 • liATTERY F, 

appearance, and took their positions near the spot where 
the execution was to take place. 

About eleven o'clock the prisoner was brought on the 
ground, seated upon his cofifin in an open wagon, which 
was preceded by Captain Pirooks, provost-marshal, and 
Captain Reynolds, assistant adjutant-general, a detach- 
ment of the provost guard bringing up the rear. His 
spiritual adviser was seated in the wagon beside him. 

The prisoner was taken directly to the place of exe- 
cution, where the cortege halted. He got out of the 
wagon unassisted, climbing over the side and jumping 
lightly from the wheel. He showed but little trepidation, 
and upon his coffin being placed upon the ground, took 
his position in front of it with remarkable firmness. 

The twelve men from the provost guard who were 
detailed to shoot him then filed around to his front, and 
took their position in two ranks, fifteen paces from the 
coffin. Captain Reynolds, A. A. G., then read to the 
prisoner the charges and specifications against him, with 
the findings and sentence of the court-martial and the or- 
der for his execution. The prisoner then knelt with his 
spiritual adviser, who had remained at his side in front 
of his coffin, and, for a few moments, devoted himself to 
earnest prayer. Upon arising he took an affectionate 
leave of the priest, expressing an earnest hope of salva- 
tion. The priest then retired, and the prisoner seated 
himself upon his coffin without hesitation, seeming com- 
pletely resigned to his fate. 

The ]5rov()st-marshal now approached him, when his 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. 12/ 

handcuffs were taken off and he rapidly divested himself 
of his blouse, deposited it at the^iead of his coffin, and, 
seating himself for the last time, held up his wrists to be 
again secured, without any apparent nervousness. The 
provost-marshal then placed a white handkerchief over 
his eyes, and, shaking him by the hand, bid him farewell. 
The prisoner returned the last earthly adieu with warmth, 
and then, turning his thoughts heavenward, devoted his 
last moments to prayer. The earnestness of his last ap- 
peal for Divine mercy was visible in the raising of his 
clasped hands, the motion of his head, and the swaying 
of his body. 

The sergeant of the squad now gave the command 
" Ready — Aim — Fire ! " and, simultaneously with the last 
word, the men discharged their pieces and the unfortu- 
nate man fell dead across his coffin without the quivering 
of a muscle. One musket of the twelve contained a 
blank cartridge. 

Surgeon Voorhees then approached the body, and, 
upon examination, it was found that eight balls had en- 
tered it — three in the chest ( at least one of which en- 
tered the heart), one in the left eye, one in each arm, and 
two in the stomach. When the surgeon reached him he 
was quite dead, the shot in the eye having caused instan- 
taneous death. 

The troops who were drawn up to witness the execu- 
tion were now marched past the corpse, and the guards 
that had been posted to keep back the crowd being re- 
moved, all who desired to do so w^ere permitted to ap- 



128 BATTERY F, 

proach the body. To the credit of humanity be it said 
but few availed themsielves of the opportunity, and the 
large concourse of people present soon dispersed to their 
homes or quarters. 

The body was soon after placed in the coffin by a 
squad of negroes in attendance for the purpose, and con- 
signed to mother earth. 

Abrahams enlisted from the city of Brooklyn, where 
he has left a widow and several small children to deplore 
his unhappy fate. He was apparently about thirty years 
of age." 

General Wistar's ofificial report of the expedition 
is as follows : 

Heaixjuarters U. S. Forces, 

YoRKTOWN, Feb. 9, 1S64. 

Major : I have the honor to report the following 
operations of the forces under my command, undertaken 
with a view to the surprise and capture of Richmond, and 
incidental results : 

All the infantry and cavalry placed at my disposal by 
the general commanding, being about 4,000 of the former 
and 2.200 of the latter, were suddenly concentrated be- 
hind my lines at \\'illiamsbiu-g after dark on the evening 
of the 5th instant, together with Hunt's and Belger's 
light batteries. 

I'he infantry, consisting of three white regiments, brig- 
aded under C"ol. R. AI. West, First I'ennsvlvania Light 



FIRST K. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. I29 

Artillery, and three colored regiments under Colonel Dun- 
can, Fourth U. S. Colored Troops, moved thence at nine 
A. M. on the 6th, carrying on the person six days' rations 
in the knapsack and 70 rounds of cartridges — 40 in the 
boxes and 30 in the knapsack. 

The cavalry, being detachments of live regiments under 
Col. S. P. Spear, Eleventh Pennsylvania Cavalry, moved 
two hours later. Colonel Spear was directed to arrive at 
Bottom's Bridge, 12 miles this side of Richmond, by 3 
A. M. of the 7th, surprise it, and move on rapidly to Rich- 
mond. 

A picked company under Captain Hill, First New 
York Mounted Rilies, with selected horses, was placed in 
advance to ride down the three pickets — at New Kent, 
Baltimore Cross-Roads, and at the bridge. Arrange- 
ments had been previously made to have the telegraph 
wire between Meadow station and Richmond cut between 
dark and midnight of the 6th. By these means it was 
hoped to surprise the enemy's battery, No. 2, on the Bot- 
tom's Bridge road near Richmond, and occupy Capitol 
Square, in that city, for at least two or three hours ; de- 
tachments previously detailed and carefully instructed, 
breaking successively from the main column, on entering, 
for various specific purposes. Of course the success of 
the enterprise was based upon the sudden and noiseless 
surprise of the strong picket at Bottom's Bridge, without 
which it would be impossible for cavalry alone to pass 
Battery No. 2. Colonel Spear failed to capture the pickets 
at Baltimore Cross^Roads, owing to the excessive dark- 

17 



130 BATTERY F, 

ness of the night, which unfortunately proved to be 
cloudy and rainy. He reached Bottom's Bridge, a dis- 
tance of 51 miles, ten minutes before the time designated, 
but found the enemy there in strong force, with infantry, 
cavalry, and artillery. They had received notice some 
sixteen hours previously, as appeared from the testimony 
of various persons in the vicinity, including women, chil- 
dren, and negroes (separately examined), of the arrival 
near Williamsburg of accessions to our usual force, and 
had, during that time been vigorously making prepara- 
tions. The bridge planks had been taken up, the fords 
both above and below effectually obstructed, extensive 
earth-works and riHe-pits constructed, and a strong force 
of troops brought down by the York River Railroad, 
by which large accessions were still arriving. 

The darkness prevented an attack till morning, when a 
detachment of the New- York Mounted Rities, under 
Major Wheelan, made a gallant but unsuccessful charge 
on the bridge by the only approach — a long causeway 
flanked on either hand bv an impassable marsh. The 
enemy opened with canister, first checking and then repuls- 
ing the charge, with a loss to us of 9 killed and wounded 
and 10 horses killed. All our men were subsequently 
brought off, as well as the saddles and equipments. The 
river was reconnoitered both above and below, for some 
miles, but at every possible crossing the enemy was found in 
force with newly placed obstructions. Three regiments 
of infantry were plainly seen, besides other infantry, 
which lired from the woods, where their numbers could 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. I3I 

not be ascertained. Four batteries of field artillery were 
counted, and at least one heavy gun was in position, its 
shot reaching the bluff on this side and falling far in our 
rear. 

Our infantry had marched on the 6th ;^;^ miles, arriv- 
ing at New Kent Court-House at 2 a. m. on the 7th. 
After a halt of three hours I moved on with them rapidly 
as possible toward the firing at the bridge, which was 
plainly audible. At 1 1 a. m., knowing from the con- 
tinued firing ahead that Colonel Spear had not succeeded 
in effecting a passage, and that even if now effected, our 
object of surprising the city must, necessarily, be de- 
feated, I sent him orders to retire, but kept pushing on to 
his support, lest his condition might be worse than I sup- 
posed. The infantry had arrived within 7 miles of the 
bridge when it met the head of his returning column, and, 
after hearing from him the full state of the case. I reluct- 
antly felt obliged to retire my whole force, not feeling 
authorized to incur the loss necessary to force the posi- 
tion without any longer an ulterior object to justify it. 
The cavalry was suffered to pass ahead, except about 300 
men of the Third New York Cavalry, under Lieutenant- 
Colonel Lewis, retained for rear guard. 

At Baltimore Store the enemy overtook and attacked 
my rear guard with vigor, but was quickly and hand- 
somely repulsed by it, with the aid of a section of Bel- 
ger's Battery, the two pieces being alternately fired and 
retired to new positions. The enemy in this affair lost at 
least one oftrcer and some few men, whom they aban- 
doned till we had passed on. 



132 BATTERY F, 

The command bivouacked at New Kent unmolested, 
and, on the 8th, the cavahy being out of forage, which 
the country did not afford, were sent aliead, arriving at 
WilUamsburg the same evening. The infantry bivouacked 
in order of battle at Burnt Ordinary, and to-day returned 
to their former camp, having marched during the four 
days of their absence t,t,, 28, 18, and 25 miles, respect- 
ivel}^ with alacrity and cheerfulness, and almost without 
straggling, the colored troops being in this respect, as 
usual, remarkable. With the exception of a little loose- 
ness of discipline in one or two of the cavalry regiments 
in returning, the conduct of officers and men, both in action 
and on the march, was everything that could be desired. 

'I'he whole result of the expedition, in addition to one 
or two prisoners captured and a few refugees, escaped 
Union prisoners, and negroes picked up and brought in, 
is the obvious fact that a small force in this vicinity, act- 
ively handled, can and should hold a much superior force 
of the eneni}' in the immediate vicinity of Richmond, in- 
active except for its defence. 

I have the honor to be, Major, with great respect, your 
obedient servant, jg^^^, j WISTAR, 

Brigadier- Goicral Coui/na/ii/i/ig. 
Maj. R. S. Davis, 

Assistant Adjutant- General. 

This report of General Wistar was forwarded to 

Major-General Halleck by General Butler with the 

following letter : 



first r, i. light artillery. i33 

Headquarters Eighteenth Army Corps, 

Fort Monroe, February 12, 1864. 

General : I haYC the honor to forward to you with 
commendation the report of Brigadier-General W'istar 
of his brilliantly and ably executed movement upon Rich- 
mond, which failed only from one of those fortuitous cir- 
cumstances against which no foresight can provide and 
no execution overcome. 

By the corruption and faithlessness of a sentinel, who 
is now being tried for the offence, a man condemned to 
death, but reprieved by the President, was allowed to es- 
cape within the enemy's lines, and there gave them such 
information as enabled them to meet our advance. This 
fact is acknowledged in two of the Richmond papers, the 
Examiner and the Seiitiiiel, published the day after the 
attack, and is fully confirmed by the testimony before the 
court-martial, before which is being tried the man who 
permitted the escape. I beg leave to call your attention 
to the suggestion of General Wistar in his report that the 
effect of the raid will be to hereafter keep as many 
troops around Richmond for its defence from any future 
movement of the Army of the Potomac as we have in this 
neighborhood. 

I have the honor to be, your obedient servant, 

BENJ. F. BUTLER, 

Major-Gcucral CoviDuvidiiii:;. 



134 BATTERY F, 

In April, 1864, the battery was turned out to wit- 
ness the execution of a private of the Second New 
Hampshire Volunteers, a substitute and bounty 
jumper. The enforcement of Army Regulations in 
this case was prompt, as will be seen by the follow- 
ing order : 

Headquarters U. S. Forces, 

YoRKTOWN, Va., April 12th, 1864. 
General Orders ?Co. 10. 

Private John Egan, Company A, Second New Hamp- 
shire Volunteers, deserted his regiment on the loth inst., 
was arrested on the nth, tried, convicted, and sentenced 
to death on the 12th by a general court-martial. 

The proceedings, findings, and sentence of the court- 
martial having been approved by the brigadier-general 
commanding and forwarded to the major-general com- 
manding, have been by him confirmed and ordered to be 
executed. 

Private John Egan will be shot to death with musketry 
on the plain below Fort Yorktown between the hours of 
five (5) and six (6) o'clock to-morrow afternoon, the 13th 
instant. 

The provost marshal is charged witli the execution of 
this order. 

By command of I5rig.-Gen"l I. J. WISTAR, 
Jas. Fairgrieve, 

I.ieut. d- ./. A. A. G. 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. 1 35 

After the formation of the troops on the field and 
the arrival and placing of the prisoner for the execu- 
tion, an order was received to "stay the execution," 
which was done until Monday, April 15th, when he 
and another from the same regiment were shot. 
But one section of the battery was ordered out 
the second time. Such summary punishment was 
deemed necessary to stop the wholesale desertions 
among the substitutes recently arrived for that regi- 
ment. 

A full account of the execution was published in 
the Yorktown Cavalier, issue of April 15th, as fol- 
lows : 

Execution of Egan and Holt. 
A Wani/'/ii^^ to Bounty Jumpers. 

The large bounties paid to vohniteers in some of the 
eastern states attracted the attention of a great number 
of unprincipled and worthless vagabonds from all parts 
of the country, who have been making a business of 
traveling from one state to another, enlisting, receiving 
bounties, and then seizing the first opportunity to desert 
and repeat the operation at another point. Among the 
regiments that have suffered most from this species of 
rascality are those of New Hampshire and Connecticut, 
and the necessity of putting a check upon desertions by 



136 BATTERY F, 

force of unrelenting example has been nowhere so deeply 
felt as in the commands where regiments from those 
states are serving. 

In this command alone there are charges and specifica- 
tions pending against some eighty of these '* bounty 
jumpers," who had deserted their regiments at different 
points with munificent bounties in their pockets, but 
were, unfortunately for their villainous designs, unable to 
elude the vigilance of the authorities in making their way 
out of the lines. 

These wretches are being dealt with here with the 
promptness and severity which their crimes demand. 
A court-martial was convened at this place on Tuesday last 
for the trial of deserters, and immediately proceeded to 
investigate the case of Private John Egan, of Company A, 
Second New Hampshire Volunteer Infantry, who deserted 
his regiment at this point on the tenth instant, in com- 
pany with about a dozen others of his regiment, and 
crossed the York River at a point below the fort. He 
was picked up on Monday by our vigilant soldiers on the 
other side of the river, whilst endeavoring to work his 
way to the rebel lines. 

The testimony against him was conclusive, and he was 
sentenced to be shot to death with musketry, which sen- 
tence was ordered to be executed on Wednesday last be- 
tween the hours of five and six ]>. m. 

Egan, who was a true type of the heartless, soulless, 
unprincipled vagabond, heard his sentence without ex- 
hibiting any signs of emotion, and apparently regarded 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. I37 

his speedy doom as something which one of his class 
might at any time expect. 

As the hour of execution drew nigh, the troops in and 
about the fort were drawn up on tlie plain a short distance 
below the fort, to witness the execution. 

The prisoner was brought out of the jail about five 
o'clock, and, seated upon a rough coffin in an open 
wagon, attended by his spiritual adviser, was conducted 
through the fort and past the camp of his regiment 
towards the place of execution. In passing the camp 
Egan stood up in the wagon, and, lifting his cap with his 
manacled hands, waved it about his head and threw it 
toward the camp. 

When the prisoner had nearly reached the place of 
execution, and had, doubtless, given up any hope he may 
have entertained of official clemency. General W'istar re- 
ceived a telegraphic order from the department head- 
quarters to suspend the execution till further orders. 
There was little time left in which to carry out the order, 
and, upon receiving the iirst three words of the dispatch — ■ 
" Stay the execution " — the operator at this point, without 
waiting to hear the remainder, hastened to the office of 
Captain Reynolds, assistant adjutant-general, and de- 
livered verbally the words he had received and then re- 
turned to his instrument to receive the rest. In a mo- 
ment the captain had communicated the intelligence to 
General Wistar, received his orders, and, mounting a 
horse, without waiting for spurs, started at breakneck 
gait on his life saving mission. Near the gate one of his 

18 



138 BATTEKV F, 

Stirrups gave way. but there was no time for delay on this 
account, and the captain, at the imminent peril of his 
own neck, to sav nothing of the awkwardness of his posi- 
tion, succeeded in keeping his saddle without slackening 
his speed, and had the satisfaction of transmitting the 
order to Captain Fleming, the provost-marshal, before 
the dismal procession had c^uite reached its destination. 

Nothing was said to the prisoner at the time in regard 
to the reprieve, and if, upon being driven back to the 
guard-house, he entertained the idea that he was par- 
doned, or his sentence commuted, he was doomed to be 
bitterly disappointed. 

The troops, who had been drawn up on the plain, were 
marched back to their quarters, and the crowd that had 
gathered to witness the execution dispersed in quiet good 
order. 

Whilst everybody was wondering at the supposed 
clemency of General Butler in a case where stern justice 
was so much needed as an example, the court-martial 
which tried Egan was sitting in the case of one of his 
associates, who, with others of the same gang, had been 
picked up by a gunboat at the mouth of the \'ork Ri\-er, 
while attempting to cross over into Maryland in a dugout. 

The result of the trial, and the intention of the mili- 
tary authorities here to deal summarily with this class of 
deserters, will be seen in the following order, which was 
read at dress parade on Thursday evening last : 



first k. i. light artillery. 1 39 

Headijuarters U. S. Forces, 

YoRKTOwx, Va., April 14, 1864. 

General Orihrs J^~o. 11. 

I. Private Henry Holt, of Company F, Second New 
Hampshire Volunteer Infantry,cleserted his regiment on the 
10th instant, was arrested on the nth, tried, convicted, and 
sentenced to death on the 13th by a general court-mar- 
tial. The proceedings, findings, and sentence of the 
court having been approved by the brigadier-general com- 
manding, and forwarded to the major-general command- 
ing the department, have been by him confirmed and 
ordered to be e.xecuted. 

Private Henry Holt will be shot to death with mus- 
ketry on the plain below Fort Yorktown, between the 
hours of 9 and 10 a. m. to-morrow, the 15th instant. 

II. Private John Egan, of Company A, Second New 
Hampshire Volunteer Infantry, heretofore ordered for 
execution, in pursuance of the sentence of a general court- 
martial, for desertion, and the execution suspended till 
further orders, will be shot to death with musketry at the 
place and time herein aforesaid. 

III. The provost marshal at Yorktown is charged 
with the execution of this order. 

By command of Brig-Gen. WISTAR, 

Stephen R. Reynolds, 

Cap/, and A. A. G. 



140 BATTERY F, 

Upon reading this order to the prisoners, Provost-Mar- 
shal Fleming, acting under orders from General W'istar, 
assured them that they need entertain no hope of clem- 
ency, that their fate as read to them was irrevocably 
sealed. 

At nine o'clock on Friday morning the procession 
again left the jail, in the same order as before, with the 
exception that another wagon and coffin and doomed 
"bounty jumper" were added to the train, and more sol- 
diers were added to the little party that brought up the 
rear, to perform the unpleasant duty assigned them. 

Holt, as the procession passed through the fort, looked 
as though he did not consider the bounty money for 
which he enlisted and deserted of sufficient value to re- 
munerate him for passing through the horrors of the 
ordeal of death. Fear and despair were marked upon his 
features, though he tried hard to conceal it and imitate 
the example of studied indifference which he had before 
him in the person of Egan. 

The latter conducted himself as though he was used to 
being shot going through the affair of riding to the place 
of execution with the same outward show of unconcern 
that he evinced on the previous occasion. 

With the exception of one section of Belger's Battery, 
none of the troops in the fort were paraded at the execu- 
tion, and most of them were on drill when the prisoners 
passed through the fort. At the gate the crowd that fol- 
lowed the miserable wretches were stopped by the guard, 
and none but officers were permitted to pass through. 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. I4I 

Many, however, reached the ground by passing out at 
other points and taking a circuitous route. 

The spot selected for the execution is below the con- 
traband camp, where the Second New Hampshire, a regi- 
ment of colored troops, and one section of p]elger's Bat- 
tery were drawn up, forming three sides of a square, the 
execution taking place at the open side. 

Arriving at the ground the preliminaries were arranged 
with all practicable haste. The prisoners alighted from the 
wagons with an air of careless indifference entirely out of 
keeping with the position they occupied on the verge of 
eternity, and when the coffins were placed on the ground 
at a short distance from each other, they walked to their 
positions in front of them with an evident determination 
(which has been the ambition of great villains in all 
ages) to die "game."' 

The detachment of provost guard, twenty-four in num- 
ber, were marched to the front, and took their positions 
fifteen paces from the coffins, twelve being assigned to 
the execution of each culprit. 

The charges, specifications, finding and sentence in 
each case were then read, together with the order for 
their execution. They then knelt with the priest, who in 
a fervent and impressive prayer commended them to 
divine mercy, after which he bid them adieu and retired. 
Provost Marshal Fleming then proceeded to prepare his 
prisoners for the execution. Egan submitted to his eyes be- 
ing bandaged with the same sham carelessness that he 
had preserved throughout. Holt, on the contrary, grew 



142 BATTERY F, 

very restless as the moments sped, and when the light of 
earth was about being shut away from his eyes forever, 
he intimated to the provost-marshal that he had some- 
thing to say. He was informed that it was too late, that 
his time was already up. 

Taking leave of the miserable creatures, Captain Flem- 
ing retired a few paces, when the order was given, 
•' Ready — Aim — Fire ! " Twenty-two bullets were sent 
on their fatal mission, and two wretched " bounty 
jumpers " received their deserts. 

A surgeon in attendance advanced to ascertain whether 
life was extinct. The bodies were found to be com- 
pletely riddled, nearly every ball having taken effect. In 
both cases death must have been instantaneous. The 
bodies were buried near the place of execution. 

The summary manner in which Egan and Holt were 
dealt with is having a beneficial effect. Since the execu- 
tion not a case of desertion has been reported, whilst pre- 
vious to it they were occurring by dozens. It is gratify- 
ing to know that but few, if any, of the deserters from 
this command who have left their regiments recently are 
now at large. They have generally discovered that it is 
no easy matter to elude the vigilance of the authorities 
here. 

The court-martial which tried and sentenced Egan and 
Holt is still in session, sitting without regard to hours, 
and it is generally believed that pretty clean work will 
be made of the desertion cases. 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. 



143 



Saturday night, the 28th of February, 1864, Gen. 
Judson Kilpatrick left Stevensburg with a force of 
4,000 cavalry and a battery of horse artillery with the 
object of entering the Confederate capital and re- 




Bugler Thomas W. Locke. 

leasing the Union prisoners of war at Libby and 
Belle Isle. 

On the first day of March, 1864, a force consisting 
of the First New York Mounted Rifles, Eleventh 
Pennsylvania Cavalry, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth and 



144 BATTERY F, 

Twenty-second United States Colored Troops, and 
Battery F, First Rhode Island Light Artillery, the 
whole commanded by Colonel West, left Williams- 
burg to go up the peninsula and meet General Kil- 
Patrick's forces. 

Battery F was in quarters at Yorktown when the 
marching orders were received on the first of March. 
The orders directed that four days' cooked rations 
be taken. Preparations were quickly made, the ra- 
tions cooked and issued, and, at six o'clock same 
evening, the battery moved out of park at Yorktown 
to join the expedition at Williamsburg, where it ar- 
rived at about half-past nine same evening. About 
eleven o'clock the order "Forward " was given, and, 
amid snow, rain, and hail, the temperature freezing- 
cold, the command marched out of Williamsburg for 
New Kent Court-House. It was a night to test the 
power of endurance of both men and horses, the 
recollection of which causes feelings of pride in the 
achievement. At about one o'clock on the morning 
of the 2d the wind changed to the northwest and 
blew very cold. The clothing being completely wet, 
froze, thus adding to the discomforts of the march. 
The command marched all night, halting for a half- 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY, I45 

hour at seven o'clock in the morning for breakfast, 
then continued until two o'clock in the afternoon of 
2d, when it arrived at New Kent Court-House. 
After caring for the horses, the men of the battery 
secured about an hour of rest. At about four o'clock 
same afternoon came the order to " Hitch up," and 
the battery remained in position nearly all of that 
night, while the cavalry scouted the country in front. 
On the morning of the 3d of March one section of 
the battery, under Lieutenant Simpson, joined with 
a regiment of cavalry and marched some distance be- 
yond "White House." One section in command of 
Lieutenant Smith was ordered to report to Colonel 
Duncan, who, with a part of the infantry, followed 
the main body of the cavalry up the peninsula, travel- 
ing, however, but about two miles, when they halted 
and waited for developments. 

General Kilpatrick's force was discovered on the 
night of the 2d by the cavalry of Colonel West's 
division, and, on the morning of the 3d the two com- 
mands came together. The return march immedi- 
ately commenced. Colonel Spear's Eleventh Penn- 
sylvania Cavalry remained at New Kent Court-House 
for the night ; the infantry and battery marched to 



146 



BATTERY F, 



Barnesville, where they bivouacked, and General 
Kilpatrick's troops passed the night at "Burnt Ordi- 
nary." On the morning of the 4th the march was 
resumed and the battery arrived at its quarters in 




Bugler Williain H. Young. 

Yorktown at about eight o'clock in the evening, hav- 
ing halted for a couple of hours at Williamsburg on 
the way. 

General Kilpatrick's command carried with them 
evidences of the hard service they had performed 



FIRST R. T. LIGHT ARTILLERY. I47 

during the five days previous. Many of the men 
were without hats or caps, wearing handkerchiefs 
tied over their heads, and the appearance of both 
men and horses gave proof of the hardships encoun- 
tered on that great raid. Their route of march 
could be traced by the horses, dead from hard riding 
and exhaustion, lying by the roadside. Although 
the object of the raid was not accomplished, un- 
doubtedly much injury to the lines of communication 
between Richmond and the Army of Northern \lr- 
ginia was inflicted. 

On the return of the expedition Colonel West re- 
ported to General Butler as follows : 

" We captured, going and coming, a few guerrillas. 
Colonel Spear met General Davis at Turnstall's Station, 
and I met General Kilpatrick about 4 miles beyond New 
Kent Court-House. My outpost reported heavy mus- 
ketry liring in the direction of the York River Railroad, 
and I was on my way out with the cavalry, infantry, and 
artillery, to render such assistance as I could, when we 
met the two columns coming in. Mv instructions did not 
authorize me to go beyond New Kent Court-House, but 
as they were not very definite I thought the circumstances 
justified me in exceeding them to the extent I did. Dun- 
can's colored brigade performed a march of 42 miles 
in twenty-two hours, the first part of which was made 



148 BATTERY F, 

during a heavy rainstorm. The roads were thus ren- 
dered very bad for footmen. No loss is reported save 
the sHght wounding of one colored soldier by a bush- 
whacker. The cavalry did well. Colonel Spear reports 
the destruction by him of a large saw-mill containing 
new engine and about 20,000 feet of lumber; also a 
large baggage-car, some trestle-work, and a portion of 
the railroad track. This at Tunstall's Station, on the 
York River Railroad, on the 2d instant. 

On the 8th of March one section of the battery, 
under command of Lieutenant Smith, was ordered to 
report to Lieutenant Hunt, commanding Battery L, 
Fourth United States Artillery, for a raid. Lieuten- 
ant Smith with his section crossed the river to 
Gloucester Point at about six and a-half o'clock same 
evening and reported as directed. On his return, 
about ten oclock at night, on the 12th of March, 
Lieutenant Smith reported that the object of the 
raid was to learn something of Col. Ulric Dahlgren, 
one of Kilpatrick's command, who was missing, re- 
ported to have been killed and his body mutilated. 
The report was found to be correct, and, in retalia- 
tion for the treatment of the dead of^cer much prop- 
erty and many buildings in the vicinity of King and 
Queen Court-House were destroyed. General Kil- 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. I49 

patrick wrote General Butler on the 12th of March, 
1864: "My cavalry have returned. The people 
about King and Queen Court-House have been well 
punished for the murder of Colonel Dahlgren." 

On the 22d of March two sections of the battery 
received marching orders. A driving snow storm 
was prevailing at the time and the prospect for an 
enjoyable trip was not pleasant ; but before the time 
arrived for the start, six o'clock in the evening, the 
orders were countermanded, and this further attempt 
to capture Richmond by the forces at Yorktown and 
Williamsburg, if such it was, was abandoned. 

During the month of April, 1864, the Tenth Corps 
arrived at Gloucester Point, opposite Yorktown, and 
other troops rendezvoused at that place and York- 
town, preparatory to the opening of the campaign of 
1864. Saturday, April 23d, Battery F was assigned 
to the Second Division, Eighteenth Corps, Brig.-Gen. 
Godfrey Weitzel commanding, and from that time 
until the end of the month inspections and reviews 
were in order. A salute in honor of the arrival of 
Governor Yates of Illinois was fired by the battery 
on the 28th of April. On the 30th of April a part 
of the Eighteenth Corps was reviewed by Maj.-Gen. 



150 BATTERY F. 

Benj. F. Butler, the First Division, one brigade of 
the Second Division, and eight light batteries ap- 
pearing in line. The artillery marched in review in 
" column of batteries," a formation seldom witnessed 
because of the large space required in its execution. 

By the end of April all surplus stores and com- 
pany property had been turned over to the quarter- 
master's department for storage, officers' baggage re- 
duced to the minimum, and all preparations made for 
participating in the campaign of 1864, which was 
looked forward to by all as likely to test the efficiency, 
courage and endurance beyond anything thus far ex- 
perienced. 



CHAPTER VI 



Bermuda Hundred and Drurv's Bluff. 

MAY I, 1864, the battery was quartered at York- 
town, Va., awaiting the opening of the cam- 
paign. Early in March, 1864, Gen. U. S. Grant was 
commissioned lieutenant-general and assigned to the 
command of all the armies of the United States. 
His plan for the campaign, as plainly indicated in his 
letters to Major-Generals William T. Sherman (April 
4th), and George G. Meade (April 9th), contemplated 
an almost simultaneous movement by all the separate 
armies. To General Sherman he wrote : '' It is my 
design, if the enemy keep quiet and allow me to take 
the initiative in the spring campaign, to work all 
parts of the army together, and somewhat towards a 
common centre." 

The force assembled and encamped at Yorktown 
and Gloucester Point in the spring of 1864 formed 



152 BATTERY F, 

one of the parts of the army. It consisted of the 
Tenth Corps, commanded by Major-Gen. O. A. Gil- 
more and the Eighteenth Corps, commanded by 
Major-Gen. William F. Smith. The two corps con- 
stituted the Army of the James, Major-Gen. Benja- 
min F. Butler commanding. Battery F was a part of 
this army assigned to the Eighteenth Corps, Second 
Division. 

The Army of the James was to be operated on the 
south side of the James River with Richmond as the 
objective point, and there was to be cooperation be- 
tween it and the Army of the Potomac (see Grant's 
instructions to General Butler under date of April 
2, 1864). 

Sunday, May ist, orders were issued by Major- 
Gen. W. F. Smith, commanding United States 
troops at Yorktown and Gloucester Point, for five 
light batteries, Battery F among the number, to 
march to Newport News on the morning of the 2d 
of May, but subsequently was countermanded. 

Tuesday, May 3d, the battery marched from York- 
town to Newport News, leaving at about noon and ar- 
riving at about seven o'clock in the evening. The 
next day, May 4th, embarked at Newport News, the 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. 1 53 

pieces on two canal barges and the horses on three 
schooners, viz., Oniust, Mist and Myers. The work 
was completed on the morning of the 5th, working 
all night of the 4th, and the men detailed to the sev- 
eral vessels. Captain Belger embarked on the 
schooner Myers ; Lieutenant Simpson was assigned 
to the Mist ; Lieutenants Smith and Adams to the 
barges, and Lieutenant Chase to the Onnist. The 
total strength of the battery present for duty was 
five commissioned officers and one hundred and seven- 
teen men. It also had one hundred and nine service- 
able horses. 

The vessels upon which the battery was loaded, 
with others, were taken in tow at about two o'clock 
in the afternoon of the 5th, heading up the James 
River. There were thirteen vessels in the tow, con- 
sequently slow progress was made. At night an- 
chored off Lime Creek. The next morning at day- 
light the tow continued to move slowly up the river, 
but soon a more powerful vessel arrived, took the tow 
and more rapid progress was made, arriving at Ber- 
muda Hundred at about half-past twelve o'clock, 
noon, of the 6th. The infantry of the force had ar- 
rived on the evening of the 5th, convoyed by the 



154 



BATTERY F, 



navy, landed and taken possession of City Point and 
Bermuda Hundred, meeting with no opposition, ap- 
parently a comiDlete surprise. 

The battery was immediately disembarked, movxd 




Sergt. Albert R. Walker. 

forward about three miles to the line occupied by the 
infantry and went into bivouac. A considerable 
force of infantry with Follett's battery D, Fourth 
United States Artillery, moved out on the 7th for 
the Richmond and Petersburg Railroad. They sue- 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. I55 

ceeded in destroying a portion at Port Walthall junc- 
tion, having had a spirited engagement in so doing 
with troops just arrived from South Carolina. The 
appearance of the Army of the James at City Point 
and Bermuda Hundred created great consternation 
and excitement at Petersburg. Telegrams were sent 
calling for troops, and in response thereto troops were 
forwarded from all points where they could be spared. 
General Hagood's brigade from South Carolina ar- 
rived at Petersburg just in time to meet the force 
sent out on the 7th to strike the railroad. This brig- 
ade was on the way to Richmond, and was halted at 
Petersburg for the purpose. General Beauregard has 
stated that " Petersburg would inevitably have fallen 
into the hands of the enemy had not General Hagood 
been halted there at that most opportune hour." 

The Army of the James commenced intrenching 
immediately at Bermuda Hundred, and soon had a 
strong line of earth-work extending from the James 
River on the right to the Appomattox River on the 
left striking the Appomattox near Port Walthall. 
During the first days of occupancy at Bermuda 
Hundred expeditions moved out in the morning 
and returned behind the works at nis^ht. 



156 BATTERY F, 

Monday, May 9th, the battery was under orders to 
march at daylight. The right section, Lieutenant 
Simpson commanding", joined General Heckman's 
brigade ; the left and centre sections with Captain 
Belger in command were assigned to_ General Wis- 
tar's brigade. The whole force advanced towards 
Petersburg, moving up the north side of the Appo- 
mattox. Chester station and Port Walthall junction 
on the Richmond and Petersburg Railroad were 
reached, and the road destroyed for some distance. 
Heckman's brigade advanced to Swift Creek, about 
two miles from Petersburg, but did not cross. 

After advancing about four miles Captain Belger 
with the two sections was directed to return to a 
cross-road and take position guarding the same. Be- 
fore night he was ordered inside the works of the 
Tenth Corps, where he remained until the next day, 
loth, when he was directed to return to camp near 
Bermuda Hundred, the troops having in the meantime 
returned from the direction of Petersburg. 

Wednesday, May nth, the battery received orders 
to move at daylight the next morning. At about sun- 
rise on the 1 2th it marched out of the works, having 
been assigned to Gen. Isaac J. Wistar's brigade, 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. I 57 

which held the advance. The coUimn soon struck 
the Richmond and Petersburg turnpike, a broad 
highway connecting the two cities, and, facing to the 
right, the advance brigade marched towards Rich- 
mond. Skirmishing commenced immediately, con- 
tinuing until the column reached a small stream 
called Redwater Creek, where, at about ten o'clock 
in the morning, the enemy opposed, with artillery, 
further advance. 

Two guns of Battery F were placed in position on 
the broad road, when a lively artillery duel followed, 
continuing about a half hour, at the end of which 
time the enemy's artillery withdrew. The loss in the 
battery during the short time engaged was Guidon 
David Daley, killed, Privates Sylvester J. Easter- 
brooks, Henry Hall and Frederick D. Macomber 
wounded, the first two mortally. Private Easter- 
brooks died May 24, 1864, at United States Army 
General Hospital, Hampton, Va., and Private Hall at 
Brattleboro, Vt., Sept. 28, 1864. 

While the two guns were engaged in the road Cap- 
tain Belger directed that another be placed in posi- 
tion in an open field at the left, from which i)oint a 
cross fire could be opened. While the third piece 



158 BATTERY F, 

was moving to the front to take position in the field 
it passed a limber from one of the guns in action in 
the road going after ammunition. The lead driver 
of this limber was Private Macomber, mentioned 
above as wounded, whose left arm was shattered and 
hanging by his side. He had pluckily remained at 
his post after the wound, and did not leave his horses 
until the engagement was nearly over. 

The third piece fired but a few shots, when the 
enemy retired. It is not positively known that the 
enfilading fire of this gun caused the enemy to retire, 
but it is believed that such was the case. 

During the artillery duel a line of battle was formed 
by General Wistar's brigade, to which the battery 
was attached, with its left on the turnpike extending 
to the right. The line advanced slowly, and bivou- 
acked for the night of the 12th near Proctor's Creek, 
the bank of which the skirmishers reached during 
the night. 

The line moved forward with continual skirmishing 
on the r 3th, but the battery did not become engaged. 

Early on the morning of the 14th a further ad- 
vance took place, during which a portion of the 
outer works of the enemy at and on each side of the 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. 1 59 

turnpike was occupied, the enemy having evacuated 
during the night. One section of Battery F took 
position at these works, at and near the turnpike on 
the right, at about ten o'clock in the morning, which 
position it retained during the remainder of the day, 
and kept up a slow, continuous and well directed fire 
upon Fort Stevens, a strong earth-work in front and to 
the right of the position, perhaps a thousand yards off. 
No casualties in the battery occurred on the 14th. 
At night the battery was ordered to retire about a 
half mile to an open iield, where it bivouacked and 
remained until Monday morning the i6th. 

General Butler's forces had been successful to this 
time, and were in the best of spirits. They had ad- 
vanced in the ten days since landing at Bermuda 
Hundred until they were before the main defences 
of Richmond on the south of the James River, and 
the opposition had not been strong. It was known 
the enemy were reenforcing and strengthening their 
position, but probably no one anticipated the disaster 
so soon to follow. 

Monday morning, May i6th, opened with a dense 
fog settled over the country. When the battery 
moved to the front to occupy the same position as on 



l60 BATTERY F, 

the Saturday previous, nothing could be seen in its 
front by reason of the fog. Gen. VV. F. Smith stated 
in his report, " On going out I found a fog so dense 
that a horseman was not visible at a distance of fif- 
teen yards." Gen. Godfrey Weitzel, commanding 
Second Division, Eighteenth Corps, in which was the 
battery in his report, referred to the fog as " so dense 
that one could see but a few yards." Under cover of 
the fog the enemy massed General Ransom's division 
on his left. Gen. C. A. Heckman's brigade occupied 
the Union right, but between his troops and the James 
River about a half to three-quarters of a mile of 
open country was covered by a small cavalry force. 
Into the open country General Ransom advanced his 
division of four brigades under cover of the fog, and 
at 4.45 o'clock A. u. ordered the attack upon Heck- 
man's right flank, which proved successful, completely 
crushing that part of the line, causing much confu- 
sion and disaster. 

In front of the position where battery F was sta- 
tioned, viz., the Second Brigade, Second division, 
Eighteenth corps, extending from the turnpike on the 
left towards the right, joining the left of Heckman's 
brigade, the enemy opened fire with artillery at about 




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FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. l6l 

the same time that Ransom attacked, and soon after 
assaulted with the brigades of Hagood and Johnson, 
striking the Union hne at the turnpike directly in 
front of Battery F. This assault was also successful 
in forcing the troops back. Battery F opened fire 
immediately in reply to the enemy's fire, and it is 
claimed did good work until ordered to retire. The 
Union line was falling back when the battery lim- 
bered up. All the pieces started from the front save 
one, the limber of which had been exploded by the 
enemy's fire. One other piece became wedged be- 
tween stumps of trees, and before it could be cleared 
the horses were disabled, and it was lost. Capt. 
George E. Ashby's Battery E, Third New York Ar- 
tillery of twenty-pound Parrotts, was stationed at the 
turnpike, in fact was sandwiched in with Battery F. 
That battery lost three of its four guns. The junior 
second lieutenant of Battery F, who was in charge 
of the caissons which were parked on the left of the 
turnpike some distance back, tells of his experience 
in riding towards the front during the fight. " It 
was an experience which impressed itself upon the 
memory, never to be effaced. Men and horses were 
met going to the rear. It seemed as if the enemy 

21 



l62 BATTERY F, 

must be using explosive bullets, judging from the 
snapping sound as they struck the trees. Captain 
Ashby, of Battery E, Third New York Artillery, . 
was passed sitting astride the trail of the only 
gun of his command saved, the blood trickling down 
his face from a wound in the head. Wounded men 
and men who did not want to be wounded were pass- 
ing to the rear in large numbers. Some members of 
Battery F were met who stated that what was left of 
the battery was coming to the rear, and I returned to 
my command, the caissons, to conduct them to what- 
ever position might be ordered." 

The camp occupied by the battery on the 14th and 
15th of May fell into the hands of the enemy on the 
morning of the i6th, but before they reached it much 
property, including shelter tents, overcoats, blankets, 
etc., was burned by order of some officer, name un- 
known. 

Captain Belger having been taken prisoner, Lieut. 
Thomas Simpson took command of the four remain- 
ing guns and conducted the battery to the rear to 
await instructions. It was soon ordered to return to 
the fortifications of the Tenth Corps, and occupied 
the second redoubt from the left that ni^rht. 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. 163 

The official record of the operations of the battery 
on the 9th and loth and on the 12th and i6th of May, 
including the casualties, are told in the official re- 
ports, which are as follows : 

Headquarters Battery F, ist R. I. Light Arty., 

In the Field, near Appomattox River, 
May II, 1864. 

Capt. F. M. FOLLETT, Chief of Artillery, 

Scco/id Dii'isioii, Eighfccuth Corps. 

Captain : I have the honor to submit the following 
report of the operations of Battery F. First Rhode Island 
Light Artillery during the ninth and tenth instants. 

On the eighth I received orders to be ready to march 
with one day's rations at daylight on the ninth instant. 

(Jn the morning of the ninth I moved out of camp 
with my battery, one section assigned to the First Brig- 
ade, Second Division. Eighteenth Corps, General Heck- 
man commanding ; the other two sections were assigned 
to the Second PJrigade, Second Division, Eighteenth 
Corps, General W'istar commanding. The section as- 
signed to General Heckman's brigade was ordered by 
General Weitzel to take position with the Second Brigade, 
Second Division, and marched on the Petersburg road to 
within four miles of Petersburg and bivouacked for the 
night. Returned to camp on the tenth instant. No en- 
gagements with the enemy. 



164 BATTERY F, 

The two sections assigned to Wistar's brigade moved 
on the same road about four miles, when I received orders 
from you to countermarcli and take position at a cross- 
roads about three and one-half miles from camp. 

At about two o'clock p. m. received orders from Colo- 
nel Plaisted, commanding a division of the Tenth Corps, 
to take a position with my battery inside the works thrown 
up by the Tenth Corps and near Dr. Hewlett's pjace. 
Remained in the works until about seven o'clock p. yi. 
tenth instant, when I received orders from General Ames, 
Tenth Corps, to return to camp, arriving at about eight 
o'clock p. M. No engagements. 

I am. Captain, very respectfulh'. 

Your ob'd't servant, 

JAS. BELGER, 
Or/t. Comd'g Battery F. 



HEADquARTERs Battery F, First R. I. Lt. Arty., 
In the Field, May 17, 1S64. 

Capt. F. M. FoLLETT, Chief of Artillery, 

Seeoihi Dii-isioii, Eighteenth Corps. 

Captain : I have the honor respectfully to submit 
the following report of the movements of Battery F, First 
Rhode Island Light Artillery, during the recent advance 
of this arniv. 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. l6$ 

On the eleventh instant I received orders to move at 
dayUght next morning. On the twelfth was assigned to 
Brig.-General Wistar's Brigade and moved out towards 
the turnpike leading from [Manchester to Petersburg, Va. ; 
about noon engaged the enemy, losing killed, Guidon 
David Daley ; wounded. Privates Sylvester Easterbrooks, 
Fred. D. Macomber and Henry Hall, all severely ; bivou- 
acked at night in an open field in rear of General Heck- 
man's brigade. 

Thirteenth ; was ordered to advance across a small 
creek and take position on a hill in an open field about 
one mile in advance of our position the night previous. 
No engagement this day. 

Fourteenth ; was ordered to send one section to the 
front and take position behind the enemy's first line of 
rifle-pits ; kept up a slow fire during the day ; took posi- 
tion at night near our position the previous night. 

Fifteenth ; no movements. 

Sixteenth ; was ordered to advance to the first line of 
the enemy's rifle-pits ; soon after taking position the 
enemy opened fire with artillery and charged the works, 
driving me back with a loss as follows, viz. : one limber 
blown up by the enemy's fire, two guns and three limbers 
left on the field, horses all killed and wounded and was 
unable to draw them off; killed, Privates James C. Davis 
and Patrick McCabe ; wounded. Sergeant I. Casper 
Schmid, slightly ; Corporals Isaac Graham, Joseph Church, 
Frederic Wilcox, severely, and Albert R. Walker slightly ; 
Privates Daniel G. Rogers, severely ; Daniel W. Barnes, 



1 66 



BATTERY F, 



James P. Clark, John McGuire. and Michael Golden 
slightly ; missing and supposed prisoners, Captain James 
Belger, Guidon John McCavanagh, Privates Charles C. 
Vars, and Benjamin Whitham. 

Horses killed, wounded and abandoned twenty-seven ; 
wounded and brought off, eight ; Avas ordered by Captain 




Corp. Joseph Church. 

Elder, Chief of Artillery, Eighteenth Corps, to return to 
the fortifications of the Tenth Corps, arriving at about 
two o'clock p. M., and was ordered by Colonel Abbott, 
First Connecticut Artillery, to take position with the re- 
mainder of the battery in the second redoubt from the 
left, where it now is. 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. 167 

Expended about three hundred and seventy-five rounds 
of ammunition. 

I am, Captain, very respectfully. 

Your ob'd't. servt., 

THOS. SIMPSON, 
First Lieut. First Rhode, Island Light Artillery, 

Coniniaiiiliiig Battery F. 

On the 17th of May the following was isstied : 

Headquarters Second Division, iSth Army Corps, 
In the Field, May 17, 1S64. 

General Orders Xo. 7. 

The General Commanding desires to thank the officers 
and men of this Division for their patience, endurance 
and bravery during the operations of the last twelve 
days. 

A perfect stranger to the Division on assuming com- 
mand of it, his experience with it, during the above pe- 
riod, has given him the most perfect confidence and grati- 
fication. 

By order of Brig.-Gen'l. WEITZEL, 

E. E. Graves, 
Lieut. &- A. A. A. G. 

It was thotight, and so reported, that Private 
James C. Davis was killed on the morning of the i6th, 



1 68 BATTERY F, 

but later it was learned that he lived until May 30, 
1864, when he died in Richmond, Va., a prisoner of 
war, from wounds received on that morning. 

The casualties among the oi^cers and men from 
May 1 2th to i6th, inclusive, was about seventeen per 
cent, of those on duty, and of the horses a fraction 
over thirty-two per cent. Deducting those with the 
caissons, which were not actually under fire, and the 
loss among the officers and men was about twenty per 
cent., while among the horses it was very great ; it is 
impossible to state accurately, because some horses 
were sent from the caissons to take the places of 
those disabled, but from the best information possible 
to obtain it is believed to have been near si.xty per 
cent. 

Greatly to the surprise of the members of Battery 
F, Brig.-Gen. Isaac J. Wistar, commanding Second 
Brigade, Second Division, Eighteenth Corps, in his 
report of the engagement on the i6th, used language 
reflecting upon certain troops, among them Battery 
F. A copy of the report reached the battery, and 
the following was immediately sent to Headquarters 
Department of Virginia and North Carolina : 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. 1 69 

HEADqiTARTERS BaTTERY F, FiRST R. I. LiGHT ArTY. 

In the Field, Va., May 24, 1864. 

Major R. S. Davis, 

Asst. Adj. Gc/iW. 

Sir : The following having appeared in the official re- 
port of Brig.-General I. J. W'istar, commanding Second 
Brigade, Second Division. Eighteenth Corps, of the action 
of May sixteenth, 1S64, retiecting on the conduct of offi- 
cers and men of this Battery, I respectfully request that 
a Court of Inquiry be appointed to investigate the cir- 
cumstances : 

HEADqiTARTEHS SeCOKD BRIGADE, 

Second Division, iSth Corps, 

May 17, 1S64. 
Gipf. \\. H. Abel, 

A. A. <:;.. 2d Div.. Y%tJi Corps. 

The officers and men generally behaved excellently. 
Captain Edward E. Beclee and Second Lieut. James W. 
Saunders, both of Twelfth New Hampshire Volunteers, 
with some men of same regiment for some time loaded 
and fired one gun (abandoned) of Battery F, First R. I. 
Light Artillery. They report one of the Lieutenants of 
that battery as lying concealed in a ditch during the time. 
The same officers limbered up a 20 pdr. Parrott gun of 
Ashby's battery, deserted by its gunners, and moved it by 
hand some distance to the rear, on the turnpike, when 
they turned it over to some men of the battery with in- 



I/O BATTERY F, 

structions to take it to the rear, which was neglected and 
the piece abandoned, owing as they allege to the want of 
horses. The guns lost were abandoned without spiking. 
Captain Barker, commanding Twelfth New Hampshire 
Volunteers, had previously thrown forward sharpshooters, 
who dispersed and drove away the enemy's sharpshoot- 
ers who attacked these guns. 

I have the honor to be, Captain, 

Very respectfully your obd't. serv't., 

I. J. WISTAR, 

Brig. Gcii'l. ConuPg. 

T have the honor to be. Major, 

Very respectfully your obd't serv't, 
Thomas Simpson, 
First Lieut. First R. I. Lt. Arty., 

C(>/)i,/g. Battery F. 

In response to the request of Lieutenant Simp- 
son, a court was appointed June 13, 1864, twenty 
days after, as the following order shows : 

HEADqUAKTERS TeNTH ArMY CoRPS, 

In the Field, near Hatchers, Va., June 13, 1S64. 

Special Orders No. 48. 

4. Pursuant to instructions from Department Head- 
quarters and u]ion the ai:)])lication of First. Lieut. Thomas 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. I7I 

Simpson, comd'g Light Battery F, ist Rhode Island Ar- 
tillery, a Court of Inquiry, consisting of the following 
named officers, is appointed to investigate and report, 
without loss of time, upon so much of the report of Brig. 
Gen. I. J. Wistar, dated May 17th, as contains strictures 
on the conduct of the officers and men of Light Battery 
F, ist R. I. Artillery in the engagement of i6th May 
last : 

D,-faiI for the Court. 

Captain A. P. Rockwell, ist Conn. Light Battery. 
Captain G. T.' Woodbury, 4th N. J. Light Battery, 
ist. Lieut. I. P. Sanger, Battery D, ist U. S. Arty. 
ist Lieut. \V. A. Sabin, Battery C. 3d R. I. Arty., 
Recorder. 

By command of Major-General Q. A. GILMORE, 
Israel Sealy, 

Capt. ^-jt/i X. V. JWs., 

Act. Ass'f. Adj. Gen. 

Whether the Court convened or not it is impossi- 
ble to state positively. But no report or other evi- 
dence can be found showing action. It was dissolved 
by the following order : 

Headquarters Tenth Ar.my Corps, 

In the Field. July 26, 1864. 
Special Orders Xo. 84. 

6. The Court of Inquiry convened by Special Orders 



1/2 BATTERY F, 

No. 48, current series, from these Headquarters, is hereby 
dissolved. 

By command of Major-General BIRNEY, 

Ed. W. Smith, 

Ass'/. Adj. Goicral. 

If the charge made by the New Hampshire offi- 
cers be true, it is but j ust that the reputation of the bat- 
tery should suffer. If, on the other hand, the charge 
was not warranted by the facts, then it was an out- 
rage upon the members of the battery. It is not 
claimed that Battery F did not have among its mem- 
bers a man or a few men whose courage failed in 
times of emergency ; the organization that can sub- 
stantiate such a claim is indeed to be congratulated ; 
but the action of the members as a whole is generally 
taken as an indication of the efficiency and courage 
of the body. In view of the fact that the Court of 
Inquiry can throw no light upon the matter, a few 
Cjuotations from official reports, in connection with 
■ the percentage of loss sustained by the battery, are 
here produced, leaving each j^erson who may read 
these pages to pronounce judgment according as it 
may seem just and right. The amount of ammuni- 
tion expended, about three hundred and seventy-five 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. 1 73 

rounds, would indicate that the guns were worked 
quite a time. 

As previously stated, the percentage of casualties 
to men engaged in the battery was about twenty, 
while the loss in horses was about sixty per cent., 
certainly showing that the position occupied must 
have been under severe fire. 

Maj.-Gen. William F. Smith, commanding Eight- 
eenth Army Corps, states, see official report dated 
June 8, 1864: . . . "A short time before day- 
light on the morning of the i6th I found everything 
quiet on my lines. There was at that time a thin film 
of clouds over the sky, but not so heavy as to inter- 
fere seriously with the moonlight, and giving no indi- 
cations whatever of a foggy morning. I returned to 
my quarters and to my bed, but was shortly after- 
ward aroused by a heavy musketry and artillery fire 
on the right of our line. On going out I found a fog 
so dense that a horseman was not visible at a distance 
of fifteen yards. I proceeded to the turnpike, where 
I established my headquarters and communicated 
with Generals VVeitzel and Brooks. At this point I 
sent word to have the artillery withdrawn, as the fog 
was so dense it could not be used, and it was so far 



174 BATTERY F, 

advanced that it was in danger of being captured. 
The order did not reach some guns most exposed 
until it was too late," ..." the enemy made 
furious assaults on my front, consisting of the brig- 
ades of Wistar and Burnham, in the divisions of 
Weitzel and Brooks." 

Brig.-Gen. Hiram Burnham, commanding Second 
Brigade, First Division, Eighteenth Corps, whose 
command occupied the line extending from the turn- 
pike towards the left, and being immediately on the 
left of Battery F, states in his report, dated May 22, 
1864: 

" On the morning of the sixteenth instant my com- 
mand was under arms at 3.30 o'clock. Immediately 
after daylight the enemy commenced an attack upon 
our lines. My brigade was shelled quite severely, 
while the enemy made a furious attack with his in- 
fantry on the troops to the right of the pike." 

Lieut. -Col. M. B. Smith, commanding the Eighth 
Connecticut Volunteers, officially reports under date 
of May 18, 1864: 

"Advancing slowly toward the outer works of Fort 
Darling, on the morning of the 14th, in connection 
with the One Hundred and Eie:hteenth New York 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. 1/5 

Volunteers, we charged and captured the enemy's 
outer line of works, our right resting on the turn- 
pike. This position we held until the morning of 
the 1 6th, when the enemy charged upon our forces 
to our right and drove them, leaving our flank 
entirely exposed. Finding our right flank thus ex- 
posed, I ordered three companies to protect the flank, 
but it was found impossible to hold that position, 
therefore they fell back under cover of the woods." 

Capt. George E. Ashby, commanding Battery E, 
Third New York Artillery, who was posted on the 
line at the same point with Battery F, and who lost 
three of his four guns, writes as follows in his report, 
under date of May 25, 1864: 

"On Sunday, 15th, ... At night received 
orders to retire at dark and resume my position be- 
fore daybreak on Monday morning. Shortly after 
resuming my position on Monday morning, i6th, the 
enemy opened upon me with a heavy fire of artillery, 
I immediately replied with all my guns. Under 
cover of this fire and the heavy fog, a large force of 
the enemy advanced up the road and charged on the 
battery. At the same time their artillery ceased fir- 
ing, and, changing the direction of my pieces, I 



176 BATTERY F, 

ordered them to be charged with canister, which was 
poured into the columns of the enemy. As they ad- 
vanced the first charge was repulsed, but they only 
retired behind the line of breastworks, from which 
they poured continuous volleys of musketry. The 
fog and smoke was so dense that they could not be 
seen, and their exact position was doubtful. Very 
soon they again charged. As long as the canister 
held out I used it, and when it gave out ordered per- 
cussion shell to be used. At this time I was struck 
in the head by part of a case-shot and carried to the 
rear. The chiefs of sections. Lieutenants Fuller 
and Mowers, used their guns until the enemy were in 
their midst and on the left flank of the battery. 
They then ordered them to be limbered to move off 
the ground ; only one was saved. The horses belong- 
ing to the others were shot down as they were driven 
up, the guns being deeply mired and the enemy close 
upon them. The men were ordered to save them- 
selves, which most did by retiring through the swamp 
or up the road in a showier of bullets. Lieutenant Ful- 
ler was shot through the arm and leg, but succeeded 
in escaping. I would remark that a verbal order from 
the commanding general for the battery to fall back, 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. 1 7/ 

jnstead of being carried to the guns was carried by 
the orderly to the caissons, which were parked at the 
Halfway House, and thus the opportunity for retiring 
safely was lost." 

No mention of the Twelfth New Hampshire Vol- 
unteers in that battle can be found in the official re- 
ports of the War of the Rebellion as published by 
the United States government, but it is probably well 
known that the regiment was on the line. Its position 
was the left regiment of General Wistar's brigade, 
posted to the right of Battery F on the right of the 
turnpike. 

Corp. Clovis Stone, who was on that morning gunner 
of the second piece of the batter}-, which was on the 
right of the artillery and nearest the Twelfth New 
Hampshire Volunteers, states as follows : 

" Monday morning we were up bright and early. 
We went to the front and took our old position which 
we occupied on Saturday. It was so foggy that we 
could not see a man across the road, and when we got 
to firing our guns it was impossible to see anything 
except by their flashing. We had just got into posi- 
tion when the rebels opened on us. They shelled us 
for some time, blowing up a limber of ours, burning 



178 BATTERY F, 

two of the horses very badly and scorching the driver. 
Then they let up with their artillery and charged on 
us. They came down with a yell, and we poured the 
canister to them and drove them back. They re- 
formed their lines and came down on us with an over- 
whelming force. Soon the order came for us to 
limber up and get out of there. When I got the 
piece limbered up and starte'd off Lieutenant Simp- 
son told me to take the men down through the woods. 
I had not gone far when I remembered that I had 
left the handspike behind and I must go back and get 
it. When I started to return all the Union troops I 
could see was a company off to my right, and they 
were falling back. I could see them pick up wounded 
men and carry them along. I had not gone far when 
my feet caught in some briars or brush, and I fell fiat 
on my face beside a tree that was lying on the ground. 
I thought I stood a poor chance in getting up. I 
also thought that if I lay there I would be taken 
prisoner, so I got up and started, hopping over trees 
and stumps, expecting that every step would be my 
last, for I could see the bark flying from the trees 
struck by rebel bullets. On my way back I saw 
Charles C. Vars a short distance from me falling 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. I/Q 

back. He was going towards the turnpike. I told 
him to keep off to the left (as we faced to the rear) 
but he went to the right and was captured." 

From the official reports of the enemy is taken the 
following : 

Gen. G. T. Beauregard wrote to General Bragg at 
8.30 A. M. May 1 6th, " Our progress is very satisfac- 
factory. . . . Wq hold w^ell on the right and are 
pressing the enemy back in front of our centre, dis- 
abling and capturing some artillery." 

Again on same day he telegraphed General Bragg : 
"Since my dispatch of 8.30 a. m., announcing the 
success of General Ransom on our left, General 
Hoke's division, supported by General Colquitt's re- 
serve, attacking the enemy in force on the right, has 
driven him back, capturing several field pieces and 
many prisoners." 

General Beauregard's circular of instructions of 
battle, delivered to division commanders on the after- 
noon of the 15th, contains the following: "Major 
General Hoke's division, now in the trenches on the 
right of the position herein assigned to General Ransom 
(being in front of Wistar's and Burnham's brigades), 
will, at daylight, engage the enemy with a heavy line 



I So BATTERY F, 

of skirmishers, and will hold the rest of his forces in 
hand ready to attack with vigor the enemy's line in 
his front as soon as he shall find it wavering before 
his skirmishers, or as soon as Ransom's line of battle 
shall have become fairly engaged with the enemy." 

Beauregard's report of June lo, 1864, of the Dru- 
ry's Bluff battle, has the following : " On the right 
Hoke had early advanced his skirmishers and opened 
with his artillery. The fog and other causes tempo- 
rarily delayed the advance of his line of battle. 
When he finally moved forward he soon became hotly 
engaged, and handled his command with judgment 
and energy. Hagood and Johnson were thrown for- 
ward with a section of Eshleman's Washington Artil- 
lery, and found a heavy force of the enemy, with six 
or eight pieces of artillery, occupying the salient of 
the outer line of works on the turnpike and his own 
defensive lines. Our artillery engaged at very short 
range, disabling some of the enemy's guns and blow- 
ing up two limbers. Another section of the same 
command opened from the right of the turnpike. 
They both held their positions, though with heavy 
loss, until their ammunition was spent, when they 
were relieved by an equal number of pieces from the 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. l8l 

reserve artillery under Major Owen. Hagood with 
great vigor and dash drove the enemy from the outer 
lines in his front, capturing a number of prisoners, 
and, in conjunction with Johnson, five pieces of artil- 
lery — three 20-pounder Parrotts and two fine Napo- 
leons. He then took position in the works, his left 
regiment being thrown forward by Hoke to connect 
with Ransom's right." 

From Maj.-Gen. R. F. Hoke's report of operations 
May i6th, dated May 25th, is taken the following : 

" At the earliest dawn I ordered my entire artillery 
to open, and advanced the skirmishers of my whole 
front, and awaited the movement on my left for one 
hour before advancing my line of battle, thinking it 
would require this length of time to make the move, 
and knowing I must lose heavily by an advance upon 
the front, which it was the desire of the commanding 
general to avoid by the flank move. 

" Owing to the dense fog I could see nothing of 
the movement of Major-General Ransom, and suppos- 
ing by this time the right of the enemy had been 
turned, I ordered forward the brigades of Hagood 
and Johnson, with one section of Lieutenant-Colonel 
Eshleman's artillery, and found the enemy still occu- 



I 82 BATTERY F, 

pying our outer line of intrenchments in heavy force, 
supported by eight pieces of artillery, with a second 
line of entrenchments along the line of woods imme- 
diately in front of our outer line of works. After 
commencing the move I could not recede, and ordered 
an attack by these two brigades, which was hand- 
somely and gallantly done, which resulted in the cap- 
ture of five pieces of artillery by Hagood's brigade and 
a number of prisoners, besides killing" and wounding 
many and also occupying the works." 

From Brig.-Gen. Johnson Hagood's report, com- 
manding Hagood's Brigade South Carolina \"olun- 
teers, dated May 22, 1864, the following is taken : 

" ]\Iy command occupied the left of our second or 
intermediate line, embracing Fort Stevens, and with 
its right on the turnpike. . . . Shortly after 
General Ransom's division had engaged the enemy 
on my left, and while his advance was still parallel to 
my line, I was ordered to advance and drive the enemy 
from our outer line of works. This was happily ac- 
complished, under cover of the early daylight, with- 
out serious loss, the brigade capturing the battery of 
five pieces before referred to and several prisoners. 
My men now occupied tliis outer line, a desultory ex- 



FIKST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERV. 183 

change of shots going on between it and the enemy's 
second line of works. . . . The battery captured 
consisted of three Napoleons and two 20-pounder 
Parrotts, fully equipped, and was turned over to Colo- 
nel Waddy, with a request that it be assigned to Cap- 
tain Owen, of the Washington Artillery, whose fire 
assisted us materially in its capture." 

Col. R. H. Keeble, Twenty-third Tennessee In- 
fantry, under date of May 22, 1864, made an official 
report from which is taken the following : 

"When the battle of the i6th commenced my or- 
ders from General Johnson were to move down the 
turnpike by the left flank until I reached the outer 
line of fortifications, when I would halt, front, and 
move forward in connection with General Ransom's 
division. Long before I reached the outer line of 
fortifications I discovered that the enemy were still 
occupying our works with a battery of seven pieces 
(Parrott guns) planted in the centre of the turnpike, 
a little beyond the fortifications. We, however, con- 
tinued to move forward under a perfect shower of 
grape, canister, and Minie balls, which swept up the 
turnpike. Reaching the trenches, line was immedi- 
ately formed confronting the enemy, and here com- 



184 BATTERY F, 

menced and raged for two hours or two and a half, one 
of the most desperate actions in which 1 have ever been 
engaged. The enemy was in strong force under our 
trenches, and his battery above alluded to played 
upon us most furiously. . . . With their battery 
in our front, their infantry in overwhelming numbers 
in our front and upon my flank and rear, the case 
seemed desperate to the last degree ; but by causing 
the rear rank of my regiment to face about we thus 
met and fought them on all sides ; succeeded in driv- 
ing them off and holding our position ; silenced and 
captured their battery of seven pieces (Parrott guns). 
One of these pieces was brought to the rear by a de- 
tail from my own regiment. Some other brigade or 
command passed over the ground where the rest of it 
was left, and, I understand, claims to have captured 
it." 

Maj. W. M. Owen's book, /// Camp and Battle ivitJi 
the Battalion Washington Artillery, contains the fol- 
lowing : 

"At five A.M. on the morning of the i6th of May, 
our artillery opens fire all along the line. A heavy 
fog conceals our movements from the enemy's view. 
At 5.45 Hoke's division springs over the works and 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. 185 

charges the enemy. Ransom, who had advanced 
upon the river road to strike the enemy's right under 
General Heckman, did so with spirit, and that Fed- 
eral general is brought in a prisoner. The first com- 
pany (four guns) under Captain Owen, is ordered to 
follow Hoke's division down the turnpike, where he 
engages a heavy battery of the enemy in front and 
apparently directly on the turnpike. The guns of the 
enemy fire high, and ours, having better range, soon 
pile up his horses and cripple his guns. Hagood's 
brigade now goes forward to the charge, and, advanc- 
ing directly upon the enemy's guns, captures them." 
Two statements in General Wistar's report, refer- 
ring to Battery F, viz., that one gun was abandoned, 
and that it was sharpshooters who attacked the guns, 
it is intended to controvert by the above quotations. 
As to the first, each of the officers mentioned in that 
report have admitted in writing that there were a 
non-commissioned officer and some men of the bat- 
tery with the particular gun referred to ; as to the 
second, the ofificial reports of Maj.-Gen. W. F. Smith, 
•'that the enemy made furious assaults on my front, 
consisting of the brigades of Wistarand Burnham ; " 
of Brig.-Gen. Hiram Burnham, that " the enemy 

24 



I 86 BATTERY F, 

made a furious attack with his infantry on the 
troops to the right of the pike ; " of Lieut-Col. M. 
B. Smith, commanding Eighth Connecticut Volun- 
teers, that "the enemy charged upon our forces to 
our right and drove them, leaving our flank entirely 
exposed," (this regiment was to the left of and 
with its right on the pike) ; of Capt. George E. 
Ashby, that " under cover of this fire and the heavy 
fog, a large force of the enemy advanced up the road 
and charged on the battery;" also of Confederate 
General Beauregard that " General Hoke's division 
attacking the enemy in force on the right 
(Union front) has driven him back, capturing several 
field pieces;" of Hoke that the brigades of Hagood 
and Johnson were ordered to make the attack ; of 
Hagood describing his advance and capture of the 
position with the artillery ; of Col. R. H. Keeble, 
Twenty-third Tennessee Infantry, whose command 
was a part of Johnson's brigade, describing the ad- 
vance of his command; and the extract from Major 
Owen's book, would seem to prove conclusively that 
instead of sharpshooters attacking the guns the force 
consisted of two brigades of infantry, viz., Hagood's 
and Johnson's. 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. iSj 

First Lieut. Tliomas Simpson, who succeeded to 
tlie command of the battery after the capture of 
Captain Belger, writes the following account of the 
affair as he saw it and the attempts to secure an in- 
vestigation of the reports reflecting on the battery : 

"My recollection of the Drury's Bluff affair is as 
follows : On the morning of the i6th of May we 
went into position about three o'clock in the same 
place occupied by us on the 14th. The enemy shortly 
after advanced, and we were soon hotly engaged. 
During a lull in the firing an order came from some- 
where for us to get out, but before it was executed 
Captain Belger ordered us back. Ashby's Battery 
of twenty-pounder Parrotts got in between the two 
pieces of our right section which I commanded. I 
remained most of the time with the right piece on the 
left of the Twelfth New Hampshire Infantry, and as 
the firing again became very hot, and the ground be- 
ing soft, our men became tired of running the gun 
forward after the recoil. I asked the captain of the 
left company of that regiment to lend me some men 
to assist ours, which he did. After continuous and 
hot firing for some time, the enemy having taken 
possession of the works in our immediate front, an 



1 88 BATTERY F, 

order came for the batteries to retire ; but so many of 
Ashby's horses had been killed that it was found im- 
possible to execute the order by that battery, and my 
piece being on its right, in the slashing, was prevented 
from leaving. 

" Seeing that it was impossible to save the gun I told 
the men to get to the rear as best they could and 
advised them to go through the slashing, working to 
the right so as to make the turnpike. I did this my- 
self, and found on the pike one of the guns of our 
battery with two horses shot, which the drivers were 
trying to unharness ; one or two more were shot 
while I was looking on, and the men finally abandoned 
the attempt to save the gun. 

" I found the balance of the battery some little dis- 
tance down the pike, and, as Captain Belger did not 
appear, took command, and we fell back near our old 
camp. Two or three days after this I received a 
telegraphic order from General Butler, through 
Eighteenth Corps Headquarters, to report to him 
with the officer of my battery who was reported to 
have been concealed in a ditch during the fight of the 
i6th. Not knowing to whom the order referred, I 
took with me Lieutenants Smith and Adams. (Lieu- 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY, 1 89 

tenant Chase was chief of line of caissons that day, 
and not actively engaged.) Arriving at General But- 
ler's headquarters we were received by the general 
himself, who invited us to be seated until the arrival 
of some officers of the Twelfth New Hampshire In- 
fantry, for whom he had sent. They arrived in a 
short time, and the general read to us part of an 
official report in which our battery was referred to. 
This report stated that one of our officers was con- 
cealed in a ditch on the morning of the i6th, and 
that men of the Twelfth New Hampshire had worked 
one of the guns of our battery abandoned by the can- 
noneers. The officers were asked if they recognized 
any of us, and one of them stated he recognized me, 
as I had applied to him for men to assist in running 
my gun up after the recoil. Being asked if either of 
them (there were two) had seen an officer of the battery 
concealed in a ditch during the fight, they answered 
no, and gave the same answer to the question as to 
whether they had worked one of the guns after it had 
been abandoned. When asked by General Butler 
how they could conceive such a report could have orig- 
inated, one of them (the captain) said probably from 
the fact of their men assisting; mine. 



190 BATTERY F. 

" General Butler said to me that it was too bad such 
a report had been made without any apparent foun- 
dation, and advised me to apply for a court of inquiry, 
and General Weitzel (our division commander that 
morning) who had heard all the conversation, offered 
me a clerk to make out the request at once. I told 
General Butler that if the request went through the 
military channels it would be a long time before the 
court could get at work. He replied that he would 
waive the military channels in this case and would 
appoint the court at once. I accordingly went with 
General Weitzel to his tent, a clerk made out the 
papers, and I signed them and carried them to Gen- 
eral Butler for approval. Not finding him in, I left 
them on his table. 

"This request did eventually go through the mili- 
tary channels, and it was not until June 13th that 
the court was appointed. 

" I saw Lieutenant Sabin, who was named as re- 
corder, a number of times, and urged him to get the 
court together, but it seemed no favorable opportun- 
ity occurred. Some time after I received official no- 
tice of the dissolution of the court." 



CHAPTER VllL 



In the Works at Bermuda Hundred — The 
Advance on Petersburg. 

THE Army of the James, after the disastrous affair 
of May i6th, retired to the lines at Bermuda 
Hundred, and immediately began to strengthen the 
position. Battery F, re-organized as a four-gun bat- 
tery, with First Lieut. Thomas Simpson in command, 
moved on the 17th of May to the left of the line 
and occupied a position near Port Walthall on the 
Appomattox River. The position of the Army of 
the James at this time led to the remark "bottled 
up " at Bermuda Hundred, which, it was said, was 
applied by General Grant, but he in his memoirs ac- 
credits it to General Barnard, his chief engineer. 

The enemy apparently was not satisfied to leave the 
army " bottled up," for desperate attempts were made 
during the following days of May to carry the works. 
The first attempt was an assault upon the Tenth 



192 



BATTERY F, 



Corps, occupying the right of the line, made during 
the night of the 17th, and at the same time a force 
appeared on the opposite bank of the Appomattox 
River, threatening the left of the Eighteenth Corps. 




Corp. Albert C. Leach. 

The assault on the right was repulsed, and a few shots 
from the gunboat Commodore Perry dispersed the 
enemy on the left. Firing continued during the i8th 
and 19th, and earl)' on the morning of the 20th the 
enemy again assaulted the right, this time with con- 
siderable success, forcing the Tenth Corps from a 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. I93 

portion of its line, which was however retaken during 
the afternoon of the same day. In the early morning 
of the next day, Saturday, the 21st of May, the enemy 
assaulted furiously the works occupied by the Eight- 
eenth Corps, and were repulsed. During the engage- 
ment a caisson of the Seventh New York Battery 
was exploded by the enemy's fire. At ten o'clock at 
night of the same date, another and determined 
charge was made, but after a severe struggle the 
enemy was forced to retire with heavy loss. During 
these assaults Battery F did not become engaged, but 
was held in readiness for service at short notice. 

Comparative quiet continued on the lines from the 
22d to the 31st of May. On the 23d the enemy sent 
in a flag of truce for the purpose of burying the dead. 
On the 27th the infantry of the Eighteenth Corps 
and one division of the Tenth Corps were withdrawn 
and embarked for White House, under orders to 
march from that point to join the Army of the 
Potomac. 

The severe engagements between the two armies 
during the latter days of May apparently caused a 
certain feeling of respect for each other among the 
rank and file, which was not appreciated or approved 



194 BATTERY F, 

by the Confederate commander, General Beauregard, 
as evidenced by Special Orders No. 15, dated May 
29, 1864, in which occurs the following : "It having 
been reported to these headquarters that our pickets 
and skirmishers have allowed those of the enemy to 
advance to within very short distance of our lines, 
and that the pickets of the two lines are becoming too 
familiar, it is hereby ordered that no communication 
whatever should be held between our pickets and 
those of the enemy. The latter must be fired upon 
whenever they are seen within range of our guns ; 
This order is dictated by a stern mili- 
tary necessity, . . . but even if this necessity 
did not exist, the commanding general still deeply de- 
plores the moral di.'^grace incurred by his troops in 
anything like voluntary or unnecessary association 
with the savage foes who are not only warring against 
us, but persecuting our women and children, and de- 
stroying private property. The hands of such a foe 
are unworthy the friendly or courteous touch of a 
Confederate soldier." 

On the morning" of the 31st of May the extreme 
left at Bermuda Hundred was again assaulted, the 
enemy repulsed, and about eleven o'clock same day 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. I95 

the centre was attacked with considerable force. 
This assault was also successfully met, but the enemy 
seemed determined to carry the lines, and at two 
o'clock on the morning of the ist of June repeated 
the attempt, were repulsed, and again at ten o'clock 
at night they made an unsuccessful charge upon the 
centre. Battery F was not on the front line during 
these last assaults and consequently took no part in 
the engagement ; it was, however, under fire, being 
within range, and the officers and men were eye wit- 
nesses without the exxitement of participants. 

These night assaults were terribly grand. The 
flash from the fire of musketry and artillery lighting 
the scene like the lightning of a severe thunder storm, 
added to the noise and confusion of a battle, impressed 
one so forcibly as never to be forgotten. 

Friday, June 3d, the battery was moved to a posi- 
tion in the earth-works on the left of the line near 
Port Walthall on the Appomattox River, where it re- 
mained until the night of the 14th of June. During 
this time occasional shots were fired into the enemy's 
lines by the battery, but no general engagement took 
place. The camp of the battery was in rear of the 
position occupied by the guns, and between the camp 



196 BATTERY F, 

and the guns a signal tower one hundred and twenty- 
five feet high was erected. In addition to the use 
made of the tower by the Signal Corps, the enemy 
selected it for a target, upon which they practiced 
daily. No damage was done the tower, but the shots 
passing by visited the battery camp so frequently 
that it became necessary to move out of the line of 
fire, which was done by taking a long " side step to 
the right" with the caissons, stable or picket line, 
and camp. 

Under date of Cold Harbor, Va., June 11, 1864, 
General Grant wrote General Butler that the move- 
ment to transfer the Army of the Potomac to the 
south side of the James River would commence after 
dark on the 12th. In the same letter he stated : 
" Expecting the arrival of the Eighteenth Corps by 
Monday night, if you deem it practicable from the 
force you now have to seize and hold Petersburg, you 
may prepare to start on arrival of troops to hold your 
present lines. I do not want Petersburg visited, 
however, unless it is held, nor an attempt to take it 
unless you feel a reasonable degree of confidence of 
success." 

At about eleven o'clock on the night of the 14th 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. I97 

orders were received to withdraw the guns from the 
earth-works, and for the battery to join a force under 
Major-Gen. W, F. Smith in an advance upon Peters- 
burg. The order was immediately complied with, 
the battery "hitched up " and crossed the Appomat- 
tox River on pontoons at Point of Rocks, before day- 
light, prepared for the advance. 

The command advanced slowly, the enemy retiring 
before the skirmishers until an earth-work covering 
two guns was reached. General Hinks's brigade of 
colored troops, who were in the advance, promptly 
charged the work and captured the two guns. The 
battery moved very slowly, long halts in the road took 
place, and it was near noon when word came down 
the column that extensive earth-works, distant about 
two and a half miles from Petersburg, confronted the 
troops. Battery F remained in the road where it was 
halted until late in the afternoon. Infantry troops 
passed on to the front, but no sound of battle was 
heard. The artillery in the command consisted of 
Battery D, Fourth United States Artillery, Captain 
Follett ; Light Battery C, Third Rhode Island Artil- 
lery, Captain James ; and Battery F, First Rhode 
Island Light Artillery, First Lieutenant Simpson; in 



198 BATTERV F, 

all sixteen guns, with Captain Follett as Chief of Ar- 
tillery. 

Late in the afternoon orders were received for the 
artillery to take position under the brow of a low hill 
in front of the enemy's work, ready to open fire at 
six o'clock. The position was to be occupied as qui- 
etly as possible, leaving the guidons and caissons 
well to the rear. The guns were to be unlimbered 
under cover of the hill, so that the horses could not 
be seen by the enemy, and the pieces run by hand to 
the front. The topography of the ground was favor- 
able for such formation, gently rising until within 
about six hundred yards of the enemv's works, then 
as gently sloping towards them with a sharp rise in 
front of their works, which occupied the crest of a 
hill. The slope occupied by the artillery of the ad- 
vancing column was quite thickly wooded, while the 
other side of the hill, from its brow to the enemy's 
works, was open country. The three batteries were 
placed in position in line near the brow of the hill. 
A strong skirmish line covered the front, and two 
lines of battle supported the artillery. At the aj)- 
pointed time, six o'clock, the guns were moved " by 
hand to the front " to the top of the hill and opened 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. 1 99. 

fire upon the fort or battery in front. After a few 
rounds the infantry rose and charged across the field. 
Immediately Captain Follett commanded, " Cease 
firing!" " Limber to the front!" "Forward, trot,, 
march ! " and the artillery line followed the charging 
infantry, not halting until the infantry had entered 
the works, which the enemy had abandoned, and they 
could go no further. This was the only time during 
the service that Battery F participated in a charge. 
The result of this movement was the capture of six- 
teen pieces of artillery, about four hundred prisoners,, 
and a large amount of camp and garrison equipage. 
The only casualty in the battery was Sergt. G. N, 
West, slightly wounded in the wrist by a fragment of 
shell. The enemy on their retreat abandoned, some 
distance out on the road to Petersburg, two pieces of 
artillery and some camp equipage. 

Lieutenant Chase, of Battery F, was ordered to 
take horses and men, go out and bring in the aban- 
doned property. Although the property was some 
distance beyond the established picket line, and the 
night almost as bright as day, a full or nearly full 
moon shining from a cloudless skv, the task was ac- 
complished without difficulty; no signs of aniCnemy.- 



200 BATTERY F, 

appeared, and the beautiful night passed without un- 
pleasant incident. 

While the history of a battery, one small part of 
the whole command, may not be the proper place to 
criticise the acts of the commanding general, the 
temptation is great to say that a golden opportunity 
was lost then and there. The orders of General 
Grant written to General Butler on the nth of June 
micrht have been carried out, and Petersburg occupied 
that night without serious opposition. The perfect 
night, almost as light as day ; the knowledge that the 
Army of the Potomac was in close proximity, in fact 
a part of the Second Corps had already arrived, was 
sufficient to warrant the advance, and Petersburg in 
possession of the Union troops could have been held 
against Lee's army equally as well as the lines two 
miles outside the city. 

General Grant refers to this movement in his 
official report in the following language : " General 
Smith got off as directed, and confronted the ene- 
my's pickets near Petersburg before daylight next 
morning, but for some reason that I have never been 
able to satisfactorily understand, did not get ready to 
assault his main lines until near sundown. Then, 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. 201 

with a part of his command only, he made the assault, 
and carried the lines northeast of Petersburg from 
the Appomattox River, for a distance of over two and 
one half miles, capturing fifteen pieces of artillery and 
three hundred prisoners. This was about seven p. m. 
Between the line thus captured and Petersburg there 
were no other works, and there was no evidence that 
the enemy had reinforced Petersburg with a single 
brigade from any source. The night was clear, the 
moon shining brightly, and favorable to further ope- 
rations. General Hancock, with two divisions of the 
Second Corps, reached General Smith just after dark, 
and offered the service of these troops as he (Smith) 
might wish, waiving rank to the named commander, 
who he naturally supposed knew best the position of 
affairs and what to do with the troops. But instead 
of taking these troops and pushing at once into 
Petersburg, he requested General Hancock to relieve 
a part of his line in the captured works, which was 
done before midnight. By the time I arrived the 
next morning the enemy was in force." 

The advance of the Army of the Potomac continu- 
ing the left flank movement which commenced at the 
Rapidan River on the 4th of May, arrived in front of 

26 



202 



BATTERY F, 



Petersburg during the night of the 15th of June, and' 
the morning of the i6th found General Lee's Army 
of Northern Virginia interposed between it and 
Petersburo-. 




Corp. Frederic Wilcox. 

Battery F was advanced to the extreme front at six 
o'clock on the morning of the i6th, stationed on a 
hill overlooking a large open plain, and for a time 
shelled the troops of Lee's army, who were entrench- 
ing on the opposite side of the plain. At the same 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. 203 

time the Second Corps of the Army of the Potomac, 
extending to the left, advanced and immediately be- 
came hotly engaged, the result of which was the cap- 
ture of some artillery and prisoners, several stands of 
colors, and a continuation of the great left flank move- 
ment. During this action Battery F suffered no loss 
in men.; the only casualty was the wounding of 
Lieutenant Simpson's horse in the hip by a rifle ball 
fired from the enemy's lines. 

Friday, June 17th, General Burnside passed by the 
battery, and the greeting given him by the members 
of the command, by whom he had not been seen since 
July, 1862, when he left the Department of North 
Carolina, must have been gratifying. . 

The Sixth Corps reached ihe Petersburg front on 
the 17th and relieved the Eighteenth Corps, which 
was ordered to return to the Bermuda Hundred posi- 
tion. Battery F left its station in front of Petersburg 
at about six o'clock in the evening, crossed the Appo- 
mattox River on pontoons at Point of Rocks at about 
three o'clock Saturday morning, June i8th ; went into 
camp near the crossing, and found that the Eight- 
eenth Corps was already occupying the intrenched 
lines at Bermuda Hundred. Thus commenced the 



204 BATTERY F. 

siege of Petersburg, but who, at that time, thought 
for a moment that it would continue through the sum- 
mer and winter, ahiiost ten months, or dreamed of 
the terrible losses and enormous expenditures which 
occurred on that line? 



CHAPTER IX 



In the Intrenched Line Before Petersburg. 

THE battery remained on the Bermuda Hundred 
front until the morning of the 22d of June, when 
it was ordered to return to the Petersburg line, and 
at about nine o'clock crossed the Appomattox on the 
pontoon bridge for the third time in the six days 
since the first crossing, arriving at the front about 
noon. During the afternoon the Eighteenth Corps 
relieved the Sixth, which moved to the left in continu- 
ation of the fiank movement. Two guns of Battery 
F were placed on the front line, the rest of the bat- 
tery bivouacked in the rear of the main line. 

After dark on the evening of the 23d of June the 
whole battery was moved to a position on the extreme 
front, in an open plain, and, with the assistance of a 
large detail of infantry, an earth-work was built dur- 
ing the night, and by daylight it was believed the bat- 



206 BATTERY F, 

tery was well protected, in position to reply to the 
enemy's fire, or open upon them should that be the 
order. As soon, however, as the enemy discovered 
the next morning", that a new earth-work had been 
built, almost under their very noses, they opened a 
furious fire with artillery, while their infantry kept 
the men under cover, and in a very short time had 
reduced the earth-work to a mere shelter. The em- 
brasure having been rendered useless by their fire, 
the battery could not reply, therefore the men lay 
close under cover all day. The exposed position ren- 
dered it imposssible to make any repairs by daylight, 
but with the darkness of night of the 24th came 
another detail of infantry men, and the earth-work or 
battery was practically rebuilt, this time in a manner 
that withstood the fire of the enemy and enabled a 
reply thereto to be made. 

The battery remained in this work until about ten 
o'clock in the evening of the 27th of June, at which 
time it was relieved by Battery L, Fourth United 
States Artillery, and retired to a position on the main 
line some distance to the rear. 

During the five days covered by the occupation of 
the above described jDOsition one ofificer and five men 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. 207 

were wounded and four horses killed. All of these 
casualties occurred on the 34th, during the bombard- 
ment of the position by the enemy. A mortar shell 
exploded near Lieut. Peter C. Smith, scratching his 
face slightly, leaving him in a dazed condition for 
some time after. Another shell passed through an. 
embrasure, struck the cheek of the piece stationed at 
that point, exploded, wounding five men, viz., Private 
Henry R. Horton, who died of wounds at United 
States Army General Hospital, Fort Monroe, July 4, 
1864; Corp. Clovis Stone, Privates Dexter B. Allen, 
George H. Nickerson, and William J. Phillips. 

An unsuccessful attempt was made to use one of 
the guns as a mortar while in position above de- 
scribed. The trail was sunk in the ground to get the 
proper elevation, and a cartridge reduced to secure 
the firing charge. But one shot was fired ; where it 
landed was never known. In most instances shells 
fired from a mortar can be seen as they move 
through the air. In this particular case no one was 
able to say what became of the missile. 

June 30th, at the muster for pay there were pres- 
ent for duty two commissioned officers, Lieutenants 
Simpson and Chase, and eighty-four enlisted men. 



208 BATTERY F, 

On this date, after three days' rest at the rear, orders 
were received to relieve Battery A, Fifth United 
States Artillery, which occupied a position in Bat- 
tery X, a little to the right of Fort Stedman as sub- 
sequently built. This position was near the point 
where the two armies had advanced their lines to 
within about fifty yards ; the distance between the 
lines at Battery X was about three hundred yards. 
The task of relieving Battery A was successfully ac- 
complished about nine o'clock in the evening, and 
then commenced a tour of duty actually under fire 
day and night, which continued without interruption 
until ten o'clock in the evening of July 8th, eight 
days and nights, at which time the Seventeenth New 
York Battery relieved Battery F. 

Adjoining Battery X on the right was stationed a 
mortar battery of the First Connecticut Artillery, 
and directly opposite the enemy had a battery of 
mortars also. The fire from mortars is not particu- 
larly dangerous to life provided one can secure a good 
sized tree and keep on the opposite side of it from 
the shell, for the course of the shell can easily be 
traced as it gracefully curves through the air, and 
the opposite side of a tree is a place of safety even if 



FIRST R. 1. LIGHT ARTILLERY. 2O9 

the shell explodes in the air, as was frequently the 
case. 

These two mortar batteries seemed to take especial 
delight in engaging each other at night, and disturb- 
ing every one in the vicinity. Fortunately a grove 
of fine trees stood at the position occupied by Bat- 
tery F, and night after night members of the battery 
watched this mortar practice from the safe side of 
those trees. Between the fire of the mortars by 
night, and the necessity for instant readiness at the 
guns by day, continuous sleep for any length of time 
was impossible. It was said that the commander of 
the brigade stationed at that point remarked humor- 
ously, that any one found getting more than two con- 
secutive hours' sleep, of the twenty-four, should be 
put under arrest. The officers lived in bomb-proofs, 
so called, constructed by burrowing into the ground 
on an incline towards the enemy. These holes were 
not spacious, did not admit of much furniture or 
many conveniences. Generally, or frequently, they 
would contain water in the bottom, and a board or 
some other arrangement whereby the occupant when 
retiring could rest six or eight inches from the bot- 
tom was necessarv. 



2IO BATTERY F, 

Brigade or division headquarters was at the posi- 
tion occupied by the battery, and consisted of a 
bomb-proof constructed entirely above ground. The 
place was quite roomy, furnishing a comfortable and 
safe spot for staff officers and others when not en- 
gaged outside. One evening, during the duel of the 
mortars, a game of cards was being enjoyed in this 
headquarters room, during which a mortar shell from 
the enemy dropped on top of the bomb-proof and 
exploded : it did not break through, but considerable 
dirt fell down from the roof, and the candle was ex- 
tinguished. It is sufficient to say that the game was 
unfinished and the room suddenly vacated. 

The guns while in this position were kept double 
shotted with canister, and although not used, the 
movements of the enemy called the men frequently 
to posts, when primers were inserted and lanyards 
fixed ready for the discharge should they attempt to 
cross the narrow space which separated the lines. 

July 4th, the national holiday, was passed in the 
trenches, and the observance thereof in that imme- 
diate vicinity consisted principally of an engagement 
between the two mortar batteries. 

The enemy had a gun, apparently a Whitworth, 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. 



21 I 



some distance to the right of the position occupied 
by the battery, which occasionally threw a shot into 
the lines at that point. One man near the battery, 
although not a member, had a leg taken off on the 




Private Henry C. Wilkie. 



5th of July, and a member of the mortar battery was 
mortally wounded on the 6th, both by shots from this 
gun. The enemy also stationed some light artillery 
directly opposite the battery, which proved somewhat 
annoying. In order to get a better range, a position 



212 BATTERY F, 

about two hundred yards to the right was selected 
on the 7th of July, an earth-work built, and, on the 
8th, one gun from, Battery F was removed to the 
new work. This gun had a good command of the 
enemy's position, and when they opened fire at about 
noon on the 8th, this piece, in connection with two 
guns of Battery L, Fourth United States Artillery, 
replied. Excellent shots were made by both sides 
during the half hour while the firing continued, but 
no serious casualty occurred in the battery. One 
man was slightly wounded. 

Upon being relieved by the Seventeenth New 
York Battery, Friday evening, July 8th, the battery 
moved to the rear a short distance and went into 
camp, where it remained until July 30th, resting, 
waiting, and expecting every day after the first 
three, to be ordered to the front line again. During 
this time a number of the officers of the regiment 
visited the battery ; in fact it was the first time since 
entering the service, more than two and a half years 
before, that such visiting was possible, owing to the 
widely separated stations of Battery F and others of 
the same regiment. The acquaintance with the regi- 
ment had been confined to correspondence, and up 



FIKST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. 213 

to this time Battery F had not been stationed in the 
same locality with or near any other battery of the 
regiment. The names of Maj. John G. Hazzard, 
Captains William B. Rhodes, and T. Fred Brown, 
Lieutenants William S. Perrin and James E. Chase 
are recalled as having made the acquaintance with 
the battery at this time. 

It was well known that General Burnside was run- 
ning a mine under the enemy's works opposite his 
front, and much speculation and anxiety as to the re- 
sult was indulged in. Battery F received orders at 
different times, while at the rear, to immediately 
" hitch up " and be prepared to move if unusual fir- 
ing was noticed on certain nights, and of course all 
such orders were connected with the firing of the 
Burnside mine by the batterymen. On the night of 
the 29th of July orders were received to be ready to 
move at daylight on the morning of the 30th, as the 
match would be applied to the fuse at that time, 
and upon the explosion of the mine an attack 
would be made in force. 

The time fixed for the assault was half-past three 
o'clock. The troops were in position waiting for the 
explosion, which did not take place as expected. A 



214 BATTERY F, 

lieutenant and sergeant of the Forty-eighth Pennsyl- 
vania Volunteers entered the mine, found where the 
fuses had failed and put them in order. The fuses 
were relighted, and at about a quarter before five 
o'clock the mine exploded, but the good results ex- 
pected were not realized. Investigation into the 
causes of failure brought out the fact that at the last 
moment General Burnside's plans for attack were 
changed by superiors, and the benefits of drill and 
instruction for particular duties by specified troops 
were lost. 

At the designated time on the morning of the 30th 
of July Battery F was "hitched up" and awaiting 
orders on a slight eminence, a little to the right and 
rear of the Ninth Corps. The explosion of the mine 
was witnessed by the battery, the sound of which 
was heard, and the earth and smoke as it rose in the 
air plainly seen. The battery remained " hitched up," 
but received no orders to move, therefore took no 
part in the engagement known as "the Battle of the 
Mine." 

During the fighting by the Ninth Corps after the 
explosion, artillery fire continued all along the line. 
Several shells exploded in Battery F as it stood ready 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. 21 5 

to move through the " crater " if ordered, and one 
shot passed entirely through two mules hitched to 
the army wagon, killing" them both. A shell also ex- 
ploded in the shelter of tree boughs which the offi- 
cers occupied, but no one was injured. 

The strength of the battery had become so much 
reduced that on the 30th of July, by order of Major- 
Gen. E. O. C. Ord, commanding Eighteenth Army 
Corps, twenty privates of the Fifth Maryland Volun- 
teer Infantry were temporarily attached, and, on the 
6th of August twenty more of the same regiment 
joined temporarily, by order of the same officer. 
These men, together with twenty-seven privates of 
the same regiment, who had been serving tempora- 
rily with Battery L, Fourth United States Artillery, 
and were attached to Battery F by Special Orders No. 
19, Headquarters Twenty- fourth Army Corps, on the 
24th of December, 1864, remained with the battery 
until June, 1865. Their names will be found at the 
end of the Roster printed herewith. 

Several alarms occurred during the early days, or 
rather nights, of August, which caused the troops to 
stand under arms and- Battery F to be " hitched up " 
and held in readiness for immediate action. These 



2l6 BATTERY F, 

alarms were caused by rumors that the enemy had 

run mines under the works on this part of the line 

and were intending to fire them. Counter mines 

were started at several points, but no mine from the 

enemy's side was discovered. At about three o'clock 

on the morning of the 3d of August, the battery was 

" hitched up," with orders to remain ready for any call 

until five and a half o'clock a. m., when, if no orders 

were received, it could unhitch. Again, on the 5th 

of August, at near six o'clock in the evening, an 

attack on the lines of the Eighteenth Corps caused 

orders for the battery to be in readiness for instant 

work, and it remained " hitched up " waiting for the 

order to move, which did not come until ten o'clock 

the next morning. 

Because so many infantrymen had been recently 
attached to the battery much time was necessarily 
given to drill, and until the 9th of August all the 
time possible was used in instructing those men in 
their duties as artillerymen. 

During the night of the 9th of August Battery F 
went on the front line again, relieving Lieutenant 
Beecher's battery. Third New York Artillery. It 
occupied the same position as when last at the front. 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. 21/ 

but found the works had been greatly strengthened, 
and troops engaged in building a large fort near by. 
On the loth of August, while occupying this position, 
Sergt, I. Casper Schmid was severely wounded in 
the leg while returning from the well, located a little 
to the rear, where he had been for water. The wound 
was not considered serious although severe, and 
much surprise was caused by the report which first 
reached the battery, that the sergeant's foot had been 
amputated, and later that he had died. His death 
was caused by gangrene and occurred in hospital at 
Philadelphia, Pa. Sergeant Schmid was a good 
soldier, trusted by his superiors, and respected by 
those under his command. 

The mortars continued their duels nightly, same 
as in July when the battery was first in this position, 
and alarms were frequent, which called every man to 
his post. In addition to the mortars artillery firing 
occurred often. Battery F was engaged in shelling 
the enemy on the 21st of August; also on the 24th 
and 27th. Rumors that the position occupied by the 
battery was mined had been frequent, causing the 
closest watch upon the enemy's movements, and the 
anxiety was increased by the stories of deserters in 



2l8 BATTERY F, 

corroboration, who came in frequently under cover of 
darkness. 

At two o'clock A. M. on the 23d of August, the 
battery was ordered to be ready for instant action as 
an attack was expected. It did not come, however. 
The next day an embrasure was opened in the new 
fort (Stedman), nearly completed immediately at 
the left of the battery, which caused the enemy 
to open fire with artillery upon it. Battery F re- 
turned the fire, quite a lively engagement occurring. 
On the 28th instant the commanding officer seemed 
to have information leading to the belief that a mine 
would be exploded during that night, and issued 
orders for all the ammunition of the battery, over 
three hundred rounds, to be carried to the rear ; two 
guns to be placed inside the new fort and two guns 
in rear of it. As horses could not be brought up for 
the purpose the work had to be done by hand, prov- 
ing somewhat laborious, and when in the early morn- 
ing the ammunition was ordered to be carried back 
some strong language was indulged in by the men. 
At about two o'clock on the morning of the 27th the 
two guns taken to the rear were returned to the front, 
and from three o'clock to eight the batterv was en- 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. 219 

gaged with the enemy, who opened a tremendous 
artillery fire upon the position. 

During the evening of the 27th of August the bat- 
tery was relieved by Captain Warren's battery, and 
ordered to proceed immediately to Point of Rocks, 
where it arrived at about three o'clock on the morn- 
ing of the 28th and bivouacked. During the day it 
crossed the Appomattox River and proceeded to 
Cobb's Hill, where it went into camp. The battery 
■did not airain return to the Petersburs^ line. 



CHAPTER X. 



From Petersburg to Chaffin's Farm. — Muster- 
out OF Original Men, 

ON the return from Petersburg to the Bermuda 
Hundred lines, August 27th and 28th, the 
battery went into camp at Cobb's Hill. For two or 
three days orders were expected placing the guns in 
position on the front lines, and not until August 
30th was the information received that the battery 
was in the reserve ; and with this information came 
also the orders that in case of an alarm one gun was 
to be placed in battery eight and one in the lines 
immediately in front of the camp. 

This position gave the much-needed opportunity 
for rest and recuperation. From the 17th of August 
to the 31st but one commissioned officer was on duty 
with the battery at a time. During that time the 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. 221 

commissioned officers were accounted for as follows : 
Captain Belger, a prisoner of war ; Senior First 
Lieutenant Simpson, sick in hospital from August 
22d to 31st; Junior First Lieutenant Smith, absent 
sick or sick in camp all the time; Second Lieutenant 
Chase, sick in camp at the rear from August 17th 
to 22d ; thus leaving Lieutenant Simpson the only 
officer on duty from August 17th to 22d, and Lieu- 
tenant Chase from August 22d to 31st. The men 
were also worn out with the constant strain and 
watchfulness of the two months on the Petersburg 
lines, and the few weeks' comparative quiet at 
Cobb's Hill was acceptable and much appreciated. 

The time from September ist to 2Sth was occu- 
pied in drills and inspections ; the large number of 
"^'temporarily attached" men making it necessary to 
drill twice every pleasant day. These attached men 
had not previously received instruction sufficient to 
produce efficiency owing to lack of opportunity, be- 
cause of the fact that the battery had been most of 
the time since they were attached on the front line, 
and "foot drill," "drivers drill," ''mounted drill" 
and "manual of the piece" was practiced regularly. 
The regular Sunday morning inspections were re- 



222 BATTERY F, 

SLimed, attention given to clothing and quarters of 
the men, and, in fact, the routine of camp taken up 
where it had been dropped on the 3d of May. 

On the 27th of September the battery was in- 
spected for immediate service and everything in the 
vicinity indicated a movement. During the evening 
of the next da}' orders were received to march at two 
o'clock on the morning of the 29th with two days' 
rations. Crossing the James River to the north 
side, just below Dutch Gap, the command marched 
toward Richmond, and, of course, did not go far 
before reaching the enemy. 

On the 25th of September Sheridan had driven 
Early down the Shenandoah Valley to Harrisonburg, 
under orders from General Grant to gather in crops, 
cattle and everything in the upper part of the valley, 
and destroy what he could not take away, so that the 
enemy would not be invited to come back there. 

General Sheridan moved so far that the authori- 
ties in Washington became alarmed, fearing the 
enemy might send a force to menace that city, and 
General Grant informed the President that he had 
taken steps to prevent Lee sending reinforcements 
to Early. This movement to tiie north of the James 



FIRST R. ]. LIGHT ARTILLERY. 223 

River was one of the steps taken, and General Grant 
writes of it as follows (page 333, Vol. II., Personal 
Memoirs of U. S. GraJit) : 

"On the 28th of September, to retain Lee in his 
position, I sent Orel with the Eighteenth Corps and 
Birney with the Tenth Corps, to make an advance 
on Richmond, to threaten it. Ord moved with the 
left wing up to Chaffin's Bluff; Birney with the 
Tenth Corps took a road further north, while Kautz 
wdth the cavalr}- took the Darby road, still further to 
the north. They got across the river by the next 
morning, and made an effort to surprise the enemv. 
In that, however, they were unsuccessful. 

"The enemy's lines were very strong and very 
intricate. Stannard's division of the Eighteenth 
Corps with General Burn ham's brigade leading, tried 
an assault against Fort Harrison and captured it 
with sixteen guns and a good many prisoners. Burn- 
ham was killed in the assault. Colonel Stevens who 
succeeded him was badly wounded, and his successor 
also fell in the same way. Some works to the right 
and left were also carried with the guns in them — 
six in number — and a few more prisoners. Birney's 
troops to the right captured the enemy's intrenched 



224 BATTERY F, 

picket lines, but were unsuccessful in their efforts 
upon the main lines." 

Battery F stood in the road in full view of Fort 
Harrison, unable to take position because of thick 
woods on either side during the charge made by 
Stannard's division. After the capture of the fort 
the battery was moved to the front and right, took 
position at about eight o'clock in the morning at the 
intrenchments captured from the enemy, and until 
about noon was engaged in shelling the works of the 
enemy in its front. The loss in the battery during 
the day was six men wounded, viz. : Privates Perez 
A. Hopkins, James Wild, Charles Whitman, Michael 
Golden, Henry C. Wilkie and James R. Price tem- 
porarily attached, and six horses killed. Three 
wheels were disabled by shells from the enemy. 
Corp. Clovis Stone had a very narrow escape during 
this day. While sighting his gun a ball from the 
enemy passed through his cap, ripping the top open 
and passing out of the back without injuring his 
head. The battery remained on the field that night 
and also the next day, September 30th, when the 
enemy made desperate but unsuccessful attempts to 
retake the positions. During the fighting on the 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. 225 

30th one man in the battery was wounded and two 
horses killed. The night of the 30th was also spent 
on the field under orders to be ready to move at day- 
light, but no movement was made until afternoon of 
October ist, when Captain Angell's Battery K, Third 
New York Artillery, which occupied the captured 
fort, Harrison, was relieved and Battery F moved 
into the position. 

The enemy were able, by the use of gunboats in 
the James River, to cause much annoyance to the 
troops in and around this fort, which had been 
named Battery Burnham in honor of General Burn- 
ham, who commanded the brigade leading in the 
assault which resulted in its capture on the 29th of 
September. Many shells were thrown over, some of 
large calibre, but no one in the battery was injured 
by them. On the 2d of October the battery was 
engaged with the enemy both morning and after- 
noon, and was also considerably troubled by sharp- 
shooters who were protected by the large trees, ren- 
dering it impossible to dislodge them by direct fire. 
This work of the sharpshooters continued and was 
very brisk on the 3d of October, causing the men to 
remain under cover of the work, as the least expos- 

29 



226 



BATTERY F, 



ure would draw their fire ; an experience similar to 
that gained on the Petersburg line, therefore not 
new or novel. 




Sergt. William J. Bastian. 

During the evening of the 3d of October Battery 
A, First Pennsylvania Artillery, relieved Battery F, 
which returned to and bivouacked with the reserve, 
where it remained until the evening of the 5th when 
it again went to the front and occupied its old posi- 
tion, relieving the above-mentioned battery. It did 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. 22/ 

not remain long in the position, as at night a portion 
of Captain Riggs's Battery H, Third New York Ar- 
tillery, came to the front under orders to occupy the 
work and Battery F returned to the reserve. On 
the morning of the ;th orders were received to cross 
the James River and go into camp at Jones's Land- 
ing, which were immediately complied with, arriving 
at about nine o'clock. 

The battery remained at this camp until the 26th 
of October, when to get rid of the nuisance of dust 
from the road it moved a short distance to opposite 
Aiken's Landing on the James River, and on the 
same day the camp at Cobb's Hill, which the battery 
left when it crossed the James River and advanced 
to Chaffin's Bluff on the 29th of September, was 
abandoned and the property brought to this spot. 

The date assigned as the expiration of service of 
the original men of the battery, October 38th, was 
near at hand, and on the 27th Lieutenant Simpson 
with his orderly. Private Charles T. King, started for 
headquarters of the Eighteenth Corps to arrange the 
preliminaries for the muster-out. They were not 
seen again in the battery until April, 1865. Lieu- 
tenant Simpson wrote an account of his prison expe- 



228 BATTERY F, \ 

rience some years after, from which is taken the 
following relating to his capture on that morning. 

"Arriving at the ground where the troops had 
been massed the day previous, I found they had 
started at daybreak, and, learning about the direction 
they had gone, I followed, hoping to overtake them 
by noon. Riding some five miles \vq came to a 
brigade of our cavalry drawn up in line at a cross- 
road, a squadron or two of which were evidently 
ready to charge down one of the roads. I halted 
here a few moments talking with some acquaintances 
in the First New York Mounted Rifles, and after 
making some inquiries as to the whereabouts of 
corps headquarters, without getting anything defi- 
nite, except that it was ahead, rode on. Some five 
hundred yards from these troops the road branched 
to the left, and as it seemed to have been traveled 
most recently in that direction, I concluded it was 
the one taken by the corps I was in pursuit of and 
turned down, having inquired of stragglers whom we 
overtook on the road as to how far the corps was 
ahead, etc., with rather poor success. Seeing two 
mounted men approaching, and supposing them to be 
orderlies from some headquarters, I thought at last 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. 229 

we should learn something definite; and we did. 
When within a pace or two, and just about to speak 
to them, you can imagine I was somewhat astonished 
at receiving the order,- ' Halt ! Surrender!' backed 
by a double-barreled shot gun and a Spencer rifle. 
The road at this point was quite narrow, fenced on 
each side, and although within easy gunshot of our 
cavalry, it was completely hidden from them by a 
narrow strip of woods and a bend in the road. To 
turn back was to be shot, unless a miracle should 
save us ; to go ahead I knew was to Richmond and a 
rebel prison. However, I had little time to weigh 
the chances, which I thought then, as I do now, 
were in favor of the latter. 

" Ordering us to ride on in front at a canter, our 
captors followed at the same gait for perhaps a quar- 
ter of a mile, when one of them, riding alongside, 
requested me to show him my watch ; this I declined 
to do and he dropped back without a word. After 
riding a short distance further, we turned down a 
cart-path in the woods, and in a little while met two 
more of those scouts, as they called themselves. 
Here the individual anxious to possess my watch, 
again came alongside, ordered me to halt, and delib- 



2'5o BATTERY F, 



ei-ately cocking and presenting a pistol to my head, 
remarked, 'Now I'll take that watch.' Of course I 
was unable to resist such persuasion as this, so hand- 
ing him the watch I remarked that it was a valuable 
one, and asked him to take good care of it. He as- 
sured me that he would, and he has — such good care 
that I have not seen it since. These other two had 
several prisoners whom they had captured, among 
others the orderly of the medical director of our 
corps, who told me that the medical director had 
been captured on the very road on which I had been 
taken, while looking for a place to park his ambu- 
lances. Although I wished no harm to the ' doctor,' 
yet I felt a little better on finding that others had 
gone before on the same road as myself." 
^ Lieutenant Simpson was lodged in Libby Prison, 
Richmond, Va., at about sundown the next day, 
where he remained until early on the morning of the 
3d of November, 1864, when he, with others, was 
taken to Danville, \'a. He remained in Danville 
Prison until Feb. 17, 1865, when he was returned to 
Libby Prison to be paroled. On the 22d of Feb- 
ruarv, having previously signed a parole, he was 
taken on a fiag of truce boat at Rocket's Landing, 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. 23 1 

James River, to Bulwer's Landing, where lie was 
allowed to disembark and march to Aiken's Landing, 
about two miles further down the river, where the 
Union flag of truce boats lay. On one of these boats 
he was taken to Annapolis, Md., and granted leave 
of absence, ?klarch 2d, for thirty days. 

The capture of Lieutenant Simpson left Lieuten- 
ant Chase in command of the battery, and the duty 
of arranging for the muster-out of the men whose 
term of enlistment would so soon expire fell to his 
lot. 

The fifty-three original members of the battery 
who had not re-enlisted were actually mustered out 
of service October 29th, although the muster-out roll 
gives the date as the 28th. The delay was caused by 
the capture of Lieutenant Simpson, which was not 
known in the battery until the night of the 28th, 
consequently nothing was done on that day, waiting 
for him to return to attend to the duty. 

The muster-out roll contains the names of three 
privates absent on detached service, viz. : Allen 
Austin, on extra duty. Ordnance Department, New 
Berne, N. C., since Sept. 25, 1862; Isaac N. Gage, 
at hospital Eighteenth Corps as nurse since Aug. 29, 



-^j- 



BATTERY F, 



1864, and Matthew Sweet at Norfolk, Va , since Dec. 
9, 1863, as clerk; also one corporal and seven pri- 
vates absent sick, viz. : Corp. Joseph Church, in hos- 
pital since May 16, 1864, on account of wounds 
received in action ; Privates Nathan H. Baten, sick 
in hospital since May 4. 1864; Ephraim R. Eddy, 
sick in hospital since Jan. 16, 1864; Albert Grinnell, 
sick in hospital since June 20, 1864; Frederic D. 
Macomber, in hospital since May 12, 1864, on ac- 
count of wounds received in action ; Thomas Morris, 
sick in hospital since Sept. 13, 1864; Daniel L. Ran- 
dall, sick in hospital since May 4, 1864, and Daniel 
G. Rogers, in hospital since May 16, 1864, on ac- 
count of wounds received in action. 

There were, therefore, forty-two men present who 
had given three years' service to their country, some 
at great personal sacrifice, who were paraded on the 
twenty-ninth day of October, 1864, and formally mus- 
tered out of the service of the United States, at 
Chafifin's Farm, Va., the muster-out roll being signed 
by "Daniel F. Wells, Lt. and Mustering OfTficer, 
i8th A. C." 

For convenience of reference the names of the 
forty-two men arc here given, viz. : 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. 



-^io 



First Sergt. Simeon Gallup, 

Sergt. Isaac Lilly, 

" Gardner N. West, 
" Albert R. Walker, 

Corp. Isaac Graham, 
" Gilbert W. Abbott, 
" Ed\yard Wilcox, 
" John O. Winsor, 
" Frederick Wilcox, 
" Clovis Stone, 
" John Whittaker, 
" Albert C. Leach, 

Bugler Thomas W. Locke, 
WiLLAM H. Young, 

Wagoner Darius W. Sykes. 

Privates. 

Almy, Otis H. 
Baker, Charles H. 
Boyd, William A. 
Cunningham, James 
Danforth, Ozias C, Jr., 



Duffy, Hugh 
Duffy, Peter 
Grinnell, Benjamin H. 
Haley, Mark 
Harrison, Joseph R. 
HoLLowAY, Benjamin A. 

KaVANAGH, MiCHAEl, 

Reach, Charles 
Ring, James M. 
Loye, Henry A. 
Manchester, George C. 
McCarty, Michael 
Miller, Seth B. 
Parker, George W. 
Perry, Valorus N. 
Pierce, James M. 
Saunders, William R. 
Sheldon, George H. 
Smith, James H. 
Walton, Henry 
White, Charles E. 
WiLKiE, Henry C. 



These men remained in camp until the morning of 
the 30th of October, when they marched to Bermuda 
Hundred and took steamer for Fort Monroe. They 
remained at Fort Monroe until the 3d of November, 
four days, waiting to receive their pay, when the 

30 



234 BATTERY F, 

paymaster settled with them and they were given 
transportation to Baltimore. The story of their re- 
turn home is brief and of little public interest. It is 
told by one of their number as follows : 

" On leaving Bermuda Hundred for Fortress Mon- 
roe, where we were to be paid off, various subter- 
fuges were resorted to by the men to enable them to 
bring with them any small arms or accoutrements 
that they had acquired and wished to preserve ; as 
there had been a general order forbidding the bring- 
ing away of any military equipments. I should have 
prued highly a sabre that I carried a long time, but 
could not bring it even if I bought it. It was said 
that some of the men had arms captured on the bat- 
tlefield which they threw into the river when they 
found they could not take them home. 

"At Fortress Monroe we waited four days to be 
paid off, remaining in quarters outside the fort. On 
the fourth day, November 3d, we received our pay 
and were given transportation to Baltimore, Md., per 
the " Bay Line of Steamers," leaving Fortress Mon- 
roe late in the afternoon and arriving at Baltimore 
the next morning. A well-remembered and disa- 
greeable experience in connection with that trip, to 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. 235 

some of US who were somewhat elated with the 
thought of returning to civiHzation and the privileges 
of citizens, after the deprivations to which the com- 
mon soldier is subject in army life, was the fact that 
we were accorded no privileges as the other passen- 
gers were, but were kept aloof like so many cattle, 
and shunned as though we were condemned crim- 
inals." 

The men kept together with some exceptions until 
reaching New York, and quite a party continued on 
to Providence, but at New York a number fell out, 
and what organization had been kept may be consid- 
ered to have ended on arrival there. Transportation 
was furnished from Baltimore to Rhode Island by 
rail. 



CHAPTER XI. 



From Oct. 30, 1864, to Muster-out, June, 1865. 

THE discharge of the original three years' men 
left the battery in an almost unserv^iceable con- 
dition ; but for the attached men it would have been 
quite so. The muster-roll Oct. 31, 1864, contains 
the names of twenty-seven re-enlisted men and forty- 
four members whose terra of service would expire 
at various times during the spring and summer of 
1865. It also shows as " temporarily attached" forty 
men from the Fifth Maryland Infantry and one from 
the Sixteenth New York Battery. 

It became necessary by reason of the discharge of 
so many non-commissioned ofificers to reorganize the 
battery, and, on the twenty-ninth day of October, 
1864, the following letter was sent to the headquar- 
ters of the resiiment : 



FIRST R, I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. 23/ 

Headquarters Battery F, ist R. I. Lt. At'y, 
Ix THE Field, Va., Oct. 29, 1864. 

AJjiitant \st R. I. Lt. Arty. 

Headquarters Sixth An/iy Car/s. 

Sir : I liaYe the honor to inform you that I liaYe this 
day made the following promotions and appointments in 
Battery F, ist R. I. Lt. Artillery, subject to the approYal 
of the regimental commander : 

Sergt. Charles E. Guild to be first sergeant, Yice Gallup 
discharged. 

Corp. Patrick Martin to be sergeant, Yice Lilly dis- 
charged. 

Corp. William J. Bastian to be sergeant, Yice West dis- 
charged. 

PriYate James Wilson to be sergeant, Yice ^^'alker dis- 
charged. 

PriYate Calvin C. Burr to be corporal, vice Graham dis- 
charged. 

Private James Vincent lo be corporal, vice -Abbott dis- 
charged. 

Private James P. Clark to be corporal, vice E. \\'ilcox dis- 
charged. 

Private William M. Smith to be corporal, vice Whittaker 
discharged. 



238 BATTERY F, 

Private Jesse B. Bicknell to be corporal, vice F. Wilcox 

discharged. 
Private Henry E. Nye to be corporal, vice Stone dis- 
charged. 
Private John B. F. \\'ilbur to be corporal, vice Leach 

discharged. 
Private Albert S. \\'ood to be bugler, vice Locke dis- 
charged. 
Private Chandler X. Handell to be wagoner, vice Sykes 
discharged. 

I am. Sir, very respectfully, 

PHIL. S. CHASE, 
2d Lieut. \st Rcgt. R. I. Lf. Arfy, 

Co/iiJg. Battery F. 

On the second day of November, 1864, Lieuts. 
Peter C. Smith and Philip S. Chase were mustered 
out of service, and the ne.xt day Second Lieut. Robert 
B. Smith, Sixteenth New York Battery, was tempo- 
rarily attached. Captain Belger and Lieutenant 
Simpson, the only remaining officers, were still pris- 
oners of war, therefore Lieutenant Smith was in 
command and the only officer on duty tnitil the twen- 
tieth day of November, when First Sergt. Charles E. 
Guild was commissioned second lieutenant. 




Capt. Thomas Simpson. 



240 BATTERY F, 

The battery remained in camp on the south side 
of the James River, opposite Aiken's Landing, until 
November 8th, on which date, in the evening, it 
crossed the James River, marched to Chaffin's Farm 
and occupied batteries three and four on the line of 
works at that place. It continued on the line at 
Chaffin's Farm, occupying various positions, until 
April 3, 1865, but did not become engaged with the 
enemy, the entire winter of 1864-5 passing quietly 
without important operations. 

In December, 1864, two guns with horses and all 
equipments complete were received, and, on the 24th 
of December, twenty-seven additional men from the 
Fifth Maryland Infantry were temporarily attached, 
thus bringing the command once more to a full six- 
gun battery, although only about one-half of the men 
were from Rhode Island or credited to that State. 
The monthly return for December, 1864, shows pres- 
ent one commissioned officer and sixty-seven men as 
belonging to the battery, and one commissioned 
officer and sixty-four men as "temporarily attached." 

Dec. 30, 1864, Capt. James Belger was discharged, 
having escaped from the Southern prisons, by virtue 
of the followins order : 



first r. i. light artillery. 24 1 

War Department, 

Adjutant-General's Office, 

Washington, D. C, Dec. 30, 1S64. 

SpCiiiil Ordci's, JVo. 4.74. 

10. Under the provisions of General Orders No. 108, 
April 2'$>, 1S63, from this office. Captain James Biigci\ 
First Rhode Island Light Artillery, an escaped prisoner 
of war, is hereby mustered out and honorably discharged 
the service of the United States. 

By order of the Secretary of War, 

E. D. TOWN SEND, 

Assistant Adjutant- GciuTal. 

The vacancy caused by the muster out of Captain 
Belger was not filled until April, 1S65, when First 
Lieut. Thomas Simpson, having been exchanged, 
was promoted, his commission dating from April 
I2th. 

Lieut. Robert B. Smith, Sixteenth New York Bat- 
tery, temporarily attached, and commanding battery 
since Nov. 3, 1864, was mustered out of service, on 
expiration of term, Jan. 26, 1865, and Second Lieut. 
Charles E. Guild assumed command, continuing 

31 



242 



BATTERV F, 



until Captain Simpson's arrival on the thirteenth clay 
of April, 1865. Second Lieut. Lorenzo Ercambrack, 
Battery K, Third New York Artillery, was temporarily 
attached Jan. 27, 1865, remaining until May 11, 1865, 




Lieut. Gideon Spencer. 

when he was discharged from the service of the 
United States on tender of his resignation. 

The spring campaign which was to bring the war 
to a close was opened by General Sheridan on the 
twenty-ninth day of March, 1865. The greater part 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. 243 

of the Army of the James, or the force in front of 
Richmond and at Bermuda Hundred, had been sent 
under General Ord to the left, leaving General Weit- 
zel in command north of the Appomattox, with in- 
structions to watch the enemy and take advantage of 
his weakening of the lines or promptly enter Rich- 
mond upon his withdrawal of the troops. The suc- 
cess attending the movements on the left of Peters- 
burg on the first and second days of April caused 
the enemy to evacuate Richmond, and at two o'clock 
on the morning of the 3d of April General Weitzel 
began to advance his lines towards that city which 
had for nearly four long years bid defiance to all 
attempts of the Union forces. The city of Richmond 
was taken possession of by General Weitzel's com- 
mand on that morning, without opposition. Battery 
F accompanied the troops entering the city and 
encamped in the suburbs where it remained until 
muster out. 

Thereafter until the end of the service, the time 
was occupied in drills, parades, reviews, and other 
duties incident to camp life. In May, 1865, seventy- 
seven recruits arrived from recruiting depots. Much 
time was of necessity given to instructing these 



244 BATTERY F, 

recruits in their duties. Although the war was over 
and all believed there would be no more fighting, the 
recruits were drilled with the same diligence and 
attention to detail as at the commencement of the 
troubles. 

On the 5th of June the battery was on review with 
the batteries of the artillery brigade, Eighteenth 
Army Corps, the order for the same directing it to 
report at four o'clock p. m. "on the open space north 
of the race course out Twenty-fifth street." Again 
on the loth of June, it was ordered "to the open 
space west side of the race course, near the brick 
house, at the end of Twenty-fifth street, at four 
o'clock p. M.," the occasion being a review of the 
artillery brigade, Eighteenth Army Corps, by Major- 
General Ord. The brigade at that time comprised 
ten light batteries, viz. : 

}], First United States Artillery, Capt. Samuel Elder. 
H, 'J'hird New York Artillery, Capt. Enoch Jones. 
AI, 'Jliird New York Artillery, Capt. John H. Howell. 
A, Fifth I'nited States Artillery. Lieut. George \\'. Crabb. 
Seventh New York Independent IJattery. Capt. P. C. 

Regan. 
L, Fourth United States Artillery, Lieut. H. C. Has- 

brouck. 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. 245 

F, Fifth United States Artillery, Lieut. A. J. McDonald. 

E, Third New York Artillery, Capt. George E. Ashby. 

F, First Rhode Island Light Artillery, Capt. I'homas 

Simpson. 
K. Third New York Artillery. Capt. James R. Angell. 

On the 19th of June the battery was detailed to 
fire a salute in honor of Major-General Terry, com- 
manding Department of Virginia, the order directing 
it to proceed out Second street and be ready for the 
duty at four and a half o'clock p. m. 

The time was occupied until June 27th in similar 
ceremonies and drills, when the battery was mus- 
tered out of service at Richmond, Va., the muster-out 
roll being signed by "Jere Horton, 2d Lieut. 24th 
Mass. Vols, and A. C. M. Ind. Div. 24th A. C." It 
proceeded at once to Providence, R. L, where it 
arrived July ist and was received by the Mechanics 
Rifles, Colonel Arnold, at the dock, while a detach- 
ment of the Marine Artillery fired a salute. It was 
then escorted by the Rifles and Marines to Washing- 
ton Hall, where breakfast was served and the men 
dismissed. 

The commissioned and non-commissioned officers 
at muster out were : 



?46 



BATTERY F, 



Captain. 
First Lieutenant. 



econd Lieutenant. 

First Sergeant. 

O. M. Sergeant. 

Serjeant. 



Thomas Simpson, . 
Gideon Spencer, . 
Frank A. Waterman, 
Charles E. Guild, 
John W. Sayles, . 
Thomas E. Wilbur, 
Patrick Martin, 
James Wilson, 
James Vincent, 
Calvin C. Burr, 
James P. Clark, 
William M. Smith, 
John B. F. Wilbur, 
George S. Gage, . 
William J. Phillips, 
Joseph Miner, 
James Rogers, 
William White, . 
Patrick Duffy, 
John H. Prosper! , 
Bennett L Fish, . 

Thus closes the record of Battery F, First Regi- 
ment Rhode Island Light Artillery. Its reputation 
made in actual service, for there was nothing con- 



Corporal. 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. 



247 



nected with its organization whicli particularly im- 
pressed tlie minds of the people of Rhode Island, 
was such that all connected with it, and particularly 
those who were with it from the beginnins:, have 




Lieut. Frank A. Waterman. 

been proud of their membership ; and it has been 
with much satisfaction that its members have replied 
to the question often asked of a veteran, "What 
organization did you serve with?" with the words 
"Belger's Rhode Island l^attcry." 



ROSTER. 



Captains. 

James Belgkr, Newport, R. I. Mustered Oct. 17, 1S61 ; dis- 
charged from the First Artillery, U. S. A., Sept. 28, 1S61, 
having served ten years, most of the time as sergeant and 
first sergeant; commissioned captain, Battery F, Oct. 17, 
iS6i ; wounded severely' in leg at Blount's Creek, N. C, 
April g, 1S63; taken prisoner at Drury's Bluft", Va., May 
16, 1S64; escaped from Salisbury, N. C, Dec, 1S64: mus- 
tered out of ser\ice Dec. 30, 1S64. 

Thomas Simi'sux. Providence, R. I. Mustered April 12, 1S65; 
corporal, Fii-»t Light Battery, May 2, 1S61 : discharged 
Aug. 6, 1861 ; second lieut., Battery F, Oct. 17, 1861 ; first 
lieut., Nov. 5, 1S62 : taken prisoner Oct. 27, 1S64: paroled 
Feb. 20, 1865: captain, Battery F, April 12, 1865: mustered 
out of service June 27, 1S65. 

First Lieutenants. 

Charles II. Pope, Providence, R. I. Mustered Oct. 17, 1861 ; 
sergt. -major First Light Battery, May 2, 1861 : first lieut., 
June I, 1S61 : mustered out of service Aug. 6, 1861 : first 
lieut.. Battery F, Oct. 17, 1S61 : resigned Oct. 6, 1S62 : cap- 
tain and C.'S., U. S. \'. subsequently. 

George W. Field, Providence, R. I. Mustered Oct. 17, 1S61 ; 
corporal Battery A, June 6, 1S61 ; first lieut., Battery F, Oct. 
17, 1861 : resigned Oct. 26, 1862; second lieut. Co. B, 
Fourth R. I. \'ols., Feb. 5, 1S63: killed in action July 30, 
1S64, at the Crater, near Petersburg, \'a. 
•32 



250 BATTERY F, 

Thomas Simpson, Providence, R. I. See captain. 

William A. Arnold, Providence. R. I. Mustered Nov. 5, iS6j : 
second lieut., Oct. 17, 1S61 : first lieut., Nov. 5, 1S62 : re- 
signed May 4, 1S63, on account of pliysical disability. 

Peter C. Smith, Providence, R. I. Mustered May 14, 1S63: 
enrolled Sept. 19, 1861 : mustered Oct. 29. 1S61 ; sergeant, 
Oct. 2ij. 1S61 : second lieut.. Nov. 5, iS6i ; first lieut.. May 
14, 1S63 ; mustered out of service, No\". J, 1S64. 

Gideon Spencer, Warwick, R. I. Mustered May 23, 1S65 ; 
private, Battery D, Sept. 4, 1S61 : corporal, April. 1863: 
sergeant. Dec, 1863: re-enlisted Jan. 31, 1864; second lieut.. 
Battery B, April 26. 1S64: taken prisoner at Ream's Station, 
Aug. 25, 1864: paroled Feb. 20, 1865: first lieut., Battery F, 
May 16, 1865 : mustered out of service, June 27. 1865. 

Frank A. Waterman, Providence, R. I. Mustered May 26, 
1865; private Batterv D, Sept. 4. 1S61 : re-enlisted Jan. 31, 
i8r)4, sergeant: second lieut., Batteiv G, May 26. 1864: 
first lieut.. Battery F, Mav 16, 1865: mustered out of service 
June 27, 1865. 

Second Lieutenants. 

Thomas Simpson, Providence. R. I. See captain. 

William A. Arnold, Providence, R. I. See first lieutenant. 

Peter C. Smith, Providence, R. I. See first lieutenant. 

Albert E. Adams. Pawtucket. R. I. Mustered Dec. 4, 1862 : 
cpiarterniaster-sergeant, Batterv -V, June 6. 1861 : second 
lieut.. Battery F, Dec. 4, 1862: first lieut.. Battery D, April 
2C}. 1864: mustered out of service March 25. 1865. 

Philip S. Chase, Portsmouth. R. I. Mustered Ma\' 14, 1863: 
Enrolled Oct. 7, i86i : mustered Oct. 29, 1S61 : corporal, Oct. 
29, 1861 : sergeant, Oct. 27,, 1862 : first sergeant, March 2, 
1863: second lieut.. May 14, 1863: mustered out of service 
Nov. 2, 1864. 



FIRST K. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. 25 I 

Charles E. Guild, Medway, JSIass. Mustered Xo\'. 21, 1S64; 
enrolled Sept. 27, 1S61 : mustered Oct. i, 1S61 : sei^geant, 
Oct. 29, 1S61 : re-enlisted Dec. 12, 1S63 : first sergeant, Oct. 
29, 1S64: second lieut., Nov. 10. 1S64: mustered out of ser- 
vice June 27, 1S65. 

First Sergeants. 

Alexander M. Massie, Providence, R. I. Enrolled Sept. 27, 
1861; mustered Oct. i, 1S61 ; wounded severely at Golds- 
boro, N. C, Dec. 17, 1S62 ; second lieut.. Third R. L Heavy 
Artillery, March 2, 1863. 

Philip S. Chase, Portsmouth. R. I. See second lieutenant. 

Simeon Gallup, Ledyard, Conn. Enrolled Oct. 3, 1861 ; 
mustered Oct. 29, 1861 ; corporal, Oct. 29, 1S61 ; sergeant, 
Nov. 5, 1862; first sergeant. May 14, 1S63: mustered out of 
service Oct. 28, 1S64. 

Charles E. Guild, Medway, Mass. See second lieutenant. 

John W. Sayles, New York, N. Y. Enrolled and mustered 
Dec. 21, 1861 ; private; quartermaster-sergeant, March ii, 
1S63 ; re-enlisted Jan. 1,1864: first sergeant, Nov. 21. 1S64: 
mustered out of service June 27, 1S65 : appointed second 
lieut., June 12, iS(')5, but not musteied. 

Quartermaster-Sergeants. 

Walter M. Knight, New '"I'ork, N, Y. Enrolled Sept. 17, 
1S61 ; mustered Oct. i, 1861 ; second lieut., Battery H, First 
R.I. Light Artillery, March 11, 1S63; first lieut., Battery 
H, April 22, 1S64: brevet captain. April 2, 1865, for gallant 
and meritorious services before Petersburg, Va. ; mustered 
out of service June 28, 1865. 

John W. Sayles, New "^'ork, N. ^'. See first sergeant. 

Thomas E. Wilbur, Pawtucket, R. I. Enrolled Oct. 7, 1S61 ; 
mustered Oct. 29, 1S61 : private: corporal, April 9, 1S62 ; 
re-enlisted Jan. 4, 1S64: sergeant, Jan. 24, 1864: quarter- 
master-sergeant, Nov. 21. 1864: mustered out of service 
June 27, 1865. 



252 BATTERY F, 

Sergeants. 

Peter C. Smith, Providence, R. I. See first lieutenant. 

William C. M. Church, Providence, R. I. Enrolled May 15, 
1S61 ; mustered June 6, 1S61. as private, Battery A, First R. I. 
Light Artiller\ : wounded at Bull Run July 21, 1S61 : trans- 
ferred to Battery F, October 3, 1S61 : sergeant, Oct. 29, 1S61 : 
mustered out of service June 6, 1S64. 

Elmer L. Corthell, Providence, R. I. Enrolled May 15, 1S61 : 
mustered June 6, iS6i,- as private. Battery A, First R. I. 
Light Artillery; transferred to Battery F, Oct. 31, 1S61 ; ser- 
geant, Oct. 31, 1S61 ; second lieut., Battery H, Oct. 11, 
iS6j ; liist lieut., Batterj' G, Nov. 6, 1S63 ; captain. Battery 
D, Oct. 21, 1S64: mustered out of service July 17, 1S65. 

George Hammond, Providence, R. I. Enrolled Sept. 30, 1S61 : 
mustered Oct. i, 1S61 ; discharged on surgeon's certificate of 
disability April S, 1S62. 

Charles E. Guild, Medway, Mass. See second lieutenant. 

Benjamin H. Draper, Providence, R. L Enrolled Oct. 2, 1S61 : 
mustered Oct. 29, 1861 ; injured in leg by kick of horse 
March 21, 1862, while on scout near Trenton, North Caro- 
lina; leg amputated May 8, 1862: died May 27, 1862. 

Frederic Chase, Portsmouth, R. I Enrolled Sept. 29, 1861 : 
mustered Oct. 29, 1S61 ; corporal : sergeant, April 9, 1S62 : 
second lieut., Battery D, First R. L Light Artillery, Dec. 4, 
1S62 ; first lieut.. Battery D, April 8, 1864: mustered out of 
service July 17, 1865. 

Benjamin H. Rogers, Middletown. R. L Enrolled Oct. 7, 
1861 ; mustered Oct. 29, 1861 : private, Co. F, First R. L De- 
tached Militia May 2, 1861, to Aug. i, 1861 ; corporal, Battery 
F, First R. L Light Artillery, Oct. 29, 1861 ; sergeant. May 
27, 1S62 ; transferred to Troop F, First R. L Cavalry, Nov. 
22, 1862; wounded in shoulder Oct. 14, 1863: mustered out 
of service Oct. 10, 1S64: appointed second lieut.. Twelfth 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. 253 

U. b. InH^ntry March i6, 1866: transferred to Twenty-first 
U. S. Infantry Sept. ;!i, 1S66; first lieut., Feb. iS, 1S67 ; as- 
signed to Thirteenth U. 8. Infantry Dec. 31, 1S70: captain, 
Feb. 18, 1874. 

Philip S. Chase, Portsmouth, R. I. See second lieutenant. 

Si.MEOx Gallup, Ledyard, Conn. See first sergeant. 

Isaac N. Gage, Pawtucket, R. I. Enrolled Oct. 4, 1861 ; mus- 
tered Oct. 29, 1861 ; corporal, Oct. 2g, 1861 : sergeant, Nov. 
22, 1862: wounded slightly at Goldsboro, N. C, Dec. 17, 
1862; resigned warrant Jan. 24, 1S64: mustered out of ser- 
vice Oct. 28, 1864. 

William H. C. Smith, Central Falls, R. I. Enrolled Oct. 10, 
1S61 ; mustered Oct. 29, 1861 : corporal, Oct. 29, 1S61 ; ser- 
geant, Dec. 4, 1862; resigned warrant Jan. 24, 1S64: on de- 
tached service with Signal Corps, U. S. A., May 3, 1864; 
transferred to Signal Corps, U. S. A., Sept. i, 1S64: mus- 
tered out of service Oct. 30, 1S64. 

Isaac Lilly. Providence, R. I. Enrolled Sept. 26, 1861 ; mus- 
tered Oct. 29, 1861 ; corporal, Oct. 29, 1861 ; sergeant, March 
2, 1863; mustered out of service Oct. 28, 1S64. 

Geokge C. Manchester, Tiverton, R. I. Enrolled Oct. 14, 
1861; mustered Oct. 29,1861; private; corporal, Jan. 4, 
1862; wounded severely Dec. 12, 1862, at Whitehall, N. 
C. ; sergeant. May 14, 1863; resigned warrant Jan. 24, 1S64: 
mustered out of service Oct. 28, 1864. 

Gardner X. West, Wrentham, Mass. Enrolled Oct. 17, 1S61 : 
mustered Oct. 29, 1861 ; private: corporal, Feb. 21, 1S62 : 
sergeant, Jan. 24, 1864: mustered out of service Oct. 28, 
1864. 

Thomas E. Wilbur, Pawtucket, R. I. See quartmaster-ser- 
geant. 

I. Casper Schmid, Providence, R. I. Enrolled Oct. 7, 1861 : 
mustered Oct. 29, 1861 ; private: corporal, May 2, 1862 ; ser- 



254 BATTERY F, 

geant, Jan. J4, 1S64; wounded slightly May 16, 1864, at Dru- 
ry's Bluft", ^'a. : wounded severely Aug. 9, 1S64, before Pe- 
tersburg, Va. : died at Sateriee U. S. A. General Hospital, 
Philadelphia, Pa., Oct. 7, 1864, of wounds. 

Albert R. Walker, Central Falls, R. I. Enrolled Oct. 7, 1861 ; 
mustered Oct. 29, 1S61 : private: corporal, May jS, 1S62 ; 
wounded slightly May 16, 1S64, at Drury's Bluft", Va. : ser- 
geant, June 6, 1864; mustered out of service Oct. 2S, 1864. 

Patrick Martix, Crompton, R. I. Enrolled Oct. 19, 1S61 ; 
mustered Oct. 29, 1861 ; private; corporal, Dec. 6, 1S62 ; 
re-enlisted Feb. 16, 1S64; sergeant, Oct. 29, 1864: mustered 
out of service June 27, 1865. 

WiLLL\M J. Bastlvx, Carolina Mills, R. I. Enrolled and mus- 
tered April 3, 1S62 ; private; corporal, Jan. 24, 18C4; ser- 
geant, Oct. 29, 1S64; mustered out of service April 5, 1865. 

James Wilson, Providence, R. I. Enrolled and mustered May 
28, 1863; private; sergeant, Oct. 29, 1S64; mustered out of 
sei"vice June 27, 1865. 

James Vincent, Providence, R. I. Enrolled Oct. 24, 1861 ; mus- 
tered Oct. 29, 1861 ; private: re-enlisted Feb. 16, 1S64: cor- 
poral, Oct. 29, 1S64: sergeant, Nov. 21, 1S64; mustered out 
of service June 27, 1S65. 

Calvin C. Burr, Bellingham, Mass. Enrolled Oct. 15, 1S61 ; 
mustered Oct. 29, 1861 : private: wounded slightly at Golds- 
boro', N. C, Dec. 17, 1862; re-enlisted Feb. 16, 1864; cor- 
poral, Oct. 29, 1864; sergeant, April 4, 1S65 : mustered out of 
service June 27, 1S65. 

James P. Clark, South Kingstown, R. I. Enrolled and mus- 
tered March 29, 1S62 : private: re-enlisted March 30, 1S64; 
wounded slightly at Drury's Bluft", \'a.. May 16, 1864: cor- 
poral, Oct. 29, 1864: sergeant, April 4, 1865: mustered out 
of service June 27, 1S65. 



FIKS'L' R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY, 255 

WiLLiAAi M. Saiith, Wickford, R. L Enrolled and mustered 
March J4, 1S62 : private; re-enlisted March 30, 1S64: cor- 
poral, Oct. 29,1864: sergeant, April 4, 1865: mustered out 
of service Julv 7, 1865. 

Corporals. 

Frederic Chase, Portsmouth, R. I. See sergeant. 

Philip S. Chase, Portsmouth, R. L See second lieutenant. 

Benjamin H. Rogers, Middletown, R. I. See sergeant. 

Frank Prentice, Providence, R. I. Enrolled Sept. 12, 1861 : 
mustered Oct. i, 1S61 : corporal: private, Jan. 3, 1S62 : 
discharged Oct. 3, 186-:, on surgeon's certificate. 

Isaac N. Gage, Pawtucket, R. I. See sergeant. 

Elisha a. Slocum, Pawtucket, R. I. Enrolled Oct. 21, 1S61 ; 
mustered Oct. 29, 1861 ; discharged Feb. 21, 1S62, on sur- 
geon's certificate. 

Sglo-mon Loid, Boston, Mass. Enrolled Sept. 28, 1861 : mus- 
tered Oct. 29, 1861 : corporal : reduced April 8, 1862: dis- 
charged June iS, 1S63, on surgeon's certificate. 

Benjamin F. ^Lvrtindale, East Greenwich, R. I. Enrolled 
Sept. 30, 1861 : mustered Oct. i, 1S61 : killed bj the enemy 
May 2. 1862, while on picket near Xew Berne, N. C. 

Levi S. Wheaton, Providence, R. I. Enrolled Oct. 28, 1861 : 
mustered Oct. 29, 1861 : discharged Nov. 10, 1862, on sur- 
geon's certificate. 

Simeon Gallup, Ledyard, Conn. See first sergeant. 

Isaac Lilly, Providence, R. I. See sergeant. 

William II. C Smith, Central Falls, R. I. See sergeant. 

George C Manchester, Tiverton, R. I. See sergeant. 

Gardner N. West, Wrentham. Mass. See sergeant. 

James M. Pierce, Swansey, Mass. Enrolled Oct. 24, 1861 : 
mustered Oct. 29, 1S61 : private: corporal, April 8, 1862: 
private, Dec. 16, 1862 ; mustered out of service Oct 28, 1864. 



256 BATTERY F, 

Thomas E. Wilbir, Pawtucket, R. I. See qunrtermaster-ser- 
geant. 

I. Casper Schaiid, Providence, R. I. See sergeant. 

Albert R. Walker, Central Falls, R. I. See sergeant. 

Henry R. Hortox, Westerly, R. I. Enrolled Oct. 21, 1S61; 
mustered Oct. 29, 1S61 : piivate : corporal, Oct. J3. iS6j : re- 
signed warrant Dec. 6, 1S62 : severely wounded in action 
before Petersburg, Va., June 24, 1864; amputation of left leg 
and compound fracture of right leg; died at U. S. A. Gen- 
eral Hospital, at Hampton, ^"a., July 4, 1S64. 

Isaac Graham, North Swansev, Mass. Enrolled Oct. 21, 1S61 ; 
mustered Oct. 29, 1S61 : pri\ate: corpoial, Nov. 5, 1S62 ; 
wounded at Drury's Bluft", \'a.. May 16, 1S64; mustered out 
of service Oct. 28, 1864. 

Gilbert W. iVnuoTT. Phenix, R. I. Enrolled Oct. 4, 1861 : 
mustered Oct. 2y, i86i ; private; corporal, Nov. 22, 1862; 
mustered out of service Oct. 28, 1S64. 

Joseph Church, Jr., Tiverton, R. I. Enrolled Oct. 21, 1861 ; 
mustered Oct. 29, 1S61 : private; corporal, Nov. 10, 1862: 
wounded severely at Drury's Blufl'. \:i.. May 16, 1864: mus- 
tered out of service Oct. 28, 1864. 

Edward WiLCt)X, Tiverton, R. I. Enrolled Oct. 2, 1861 ; mus- 
tered Oct. 29, iSji ; private; corporal, Dec. 4, 1862: mus- 
tered out of service Oct. 28, 1864. 

Patrick Martin. Crompton, R. I. See sergeant. 

John O. \\'ixs()R, Johnston, R. I. Enrolled Oct. 22, 1861 : mus- 
tered Oct. 29, 1861: private: corporal, Dec. 16, 1S62 ; mus- 
tured out of service Oct. 28, 1864. 

WiLLiAiNi A. Tefft, Wakefield, R. I. Enrolled Sept. 30, 1861 ; 
mustered Oct. 29, 1861 ; private; corporal, March 2, 1863; 
second lieut.. Eleventh I'. S. Colored Troops, Sept. 12,1863. 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. 257 

Frederic Wilcox, Tiverton, R. I. Enrolled Oct. 21, 1S61 ; 
mustered Oct. 29, 1S61 ; private: corporal, May 14, 1S63 ; 
wounded severely at Drury's Bluft", Va., May 16, 1S64: mus- 
tered out of service Oct. 2S, 1S64. 

Clovis Stone, Olneyville, R. I. Enrolled Oct. 23, iSfn ; mus- 
tered Oct. 29, 1S61 ; piuvate; corporal, Sept. 24, 1863; mus- 
tered out of service Oct. 28, 1S64. 

John Whittaker, Providence, R. I. Enrolled Oct. 5, 1S61 ; 
mustered Oct. 29, 1S61 ; private; corporal, Jan. 24, 1S64; 
mustered out of service Oct. 28, 1864. 

Michael Hart, Willimantic, Conn. Enrolled and mustered 
July 21, 1862; private; corporal, Jan. 24, 1864; mustered 
out of service June 7, 1S65. 

WiLLiAiM J. Bastian, Carolina Mills, R. I. See sergeant. 

Albert C. Leach, Pawtucket, R. I. Enrolled Oct. 10, 1S61 ; 
mustered Oct. 29, 1S61; private: corporal, June 6, 1864: 
mustered out of service Oct. 28, 1S64. 

Calvin C. Burr, Bellingham, Mass. See sergeant. 

James Vincent, Providence, R. I. See sergeant. 

James P. Clark, South Kingstown, R. I. See sergeant. 

William M. Smith, Wickford, R. I. See sergeant. 

Jesse B. Bicknell, Phenix, R. I. Enrolled and mustered April 

3, 1S62; private; corporal, Oct. 29, 1864: mustered out of 

service April 5, 1865. 

Henry E. Nye, Wakefield, R. I. Enrolled and mustered March 
29, 1862; private: re-enlisted March 30, 1864: corporal, Oct. 
29,1864; private, Feb. iS, 1865: mustered out of service June 
27, 1865. 

}oHN B. F. Wilbur, Richmond, R. I. Enrolled and mustered 
March 26, 1862: private ; re-enlisted March 30, 1S64; corpo- 
ral, Oct. 29, iSf>^\ mustered out of service June 27, 1S65. 
33 



258 BATTERY F, 

George S. Gage, Pawtucket, R. I. Enrolled Oct. 15, 1S61 : 
mustered Oct. ^9, 1S61 ; private: re-enlisted March 22, 1S64: 
coi-poral, Nov. 21, 1S64; mustered out of service July 7, 

1S65. 

William J. Pjiillip.s, South Kingstown, R. I. Enrolled and 
mustered March 29, 1862; private: re-enlisted March 30, 
1S64; wounded severely before Petersburg, \'a., June 24, 
1S64; corpora], Feb. 18, 1865: mustered out of ser\ice June 
27, 1S65. 

Joseph Mixer, Warwick, R. I. Enrolled Oct. 7, 1S61; mus- 
tered Oct. 29, 1S61 : private: re-enlisted Feb. 16, 1S64; 
corpoi'al, April 4, iS^):;: mustered out of service June 27, 
1865. 

James Rogers, Providence. R. I. Enrolled Oct. 6, 1S61 : mus- 
tered Oct. 29, 1S61 : private: re-enlisted Feb. 16, 1S64: cor- 
poral, May iS, 1S65 : mustered out of service June 27, 1S65. 

William H. H. Wilcox, Woodstock, Conn. Enrolled ancl 
mustered July 9, 1S62 : private; corporal, May, 1865; mus- 
tered out of service June 7, 1865. 

JoHX McGuiRE, Providence, R. I. Enrolled and mustered Aug. 
2, 1862; private; wounded in action at Drury's Bluft', Va., 
May 16, 1864; corporal, May, 1865: mustered out of service 
June 7, 1865. 

AViLLiAM White, P. Edwarti's Island. Enrolled and niustereti 
Sept. 3, 1864; private; corporal, June 13, 18^15; mustered out 
of service June 27, 1865. 

Bexxett J. Fish. Enrolleti and mustered March 27, iS^j^: pri- 
vate: corporal, June 15, 1865; mustered out of service June 
27> i8f5.v 

T'atkick DuFFV. Enrolled and mustered March 28,1865; pri- 
vate; corporal, June 15, 1865; mustered out of service June 
27, 1865. 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. 259 

John H. Prospert. Enrolled and mustered March 2g, 1S65 ; 
private: corporal, June 15, 1S65 ; mustered out of service 
June 27, 1S65. 

Buglers. 

Thomas W. Locke, Phenix, R. I. Enrolled Oct. 4, 1861 ; mus- 
tered Oct. 29, 1S61 : mustered out of service Oct. 28, 1864. 

William II. Young, Phenix, R. I. Enrolled Oct. 4, 1S61 : 
mustered Oct. 2g, 1861 : mustered out of service, Oct. 28, 
1S64. 

Albert S. Wood, Ilopkinton. R. I. Enrolled and mustered 
March 24, 1S62 : private: re-enlisted March 30, 1S64: bu- 
gler, Oct. 29, 1S64: mustered out of service June 27, 1S65. 

Artificers. 

Hexry Craxe, Xew Bedford, Mass. Enrolled Sept. iS, 1861 : 
mustered Oct. 29, 1S61 : discharged Oct. 3, 1862, on sur- 
geon's certificate. 

Holder S. Briggs, Warren, R. I. Enrolled Sept. 29, 1S61 : 
mustered Oct. 29, 1S61 ; discharged Sept. 12, 1862, on sur- 
geon's certificate. 

Edward H. Winchester, Glocester, R. I. Enrolled Oct. 28, 
1861 : mustered Oct. 29, 1861 : private: artificer, Sept. 12, 
1862: re-enlisted Jan. 4, 1S64: mustered out of service June 
27, 1865. 

David Bentley, Woonsocket, R. I. Enrolled Oct. 14, 1S61 ; 
mustered Oct. 29, 1S61 : private: re-enlisted Dec. 12, 1S63: 
artificer, Dec. 12,1863; mustered out of service June 27, 
1865. 

Wagoners. 

Darius Sykes, Pawtucket, R. I. Enrolled Oct. 19, iS^i : mus- 
tered Oct. 29, 1861 : private: wagoner, July i, 1S63; mus- 
tered out of service Oct. 28, 1864. 



26o BATTERY F, 

Chandler N. IIandell, Richmond, R. I. Enrolled and mus- 
tered April 3, 1S6:: ; private; wagoner, Oct. 29, 1864: mus- 
tered out of service April 5, 1S65. 

CiiAKLKs D. Card, Warwick, R. I. Enrolled Oct. J4, 1S61 : 
mustered Oct. 2g, 1S61 ; private; re-enlisted Dec. 12, 1S63 ; 
wagoner, April 4, 1S65 ; mustered out of service June 27, 
1S65. 

Privates. 

Abbott, Gilbert W., Phenix, R. I. See corporal. 

Anderson, Charles L., Boston, Mass. Enrolled Oct. 4, 1S61 ; 
mustered Oct. 29, 1S61 ; re-enlisted Dec. 12, 1S63; deserted 
Jan. 14, 1S64. 

Almy, Otis II., Tiverton, R. I. Enrolled Oct. 2S, 1S61 : mus- 
tered Oct. 29, 1S61 ; mustered out of service Oct. 28, 1S64. 

Austin, Allen, Coventry, R. I. Enrolled and mustered Oct. 
29, 1861 ; mustered out of service Oct. 28, 1864. 

Allen, Dexter B., Pro^'idence, R. I. Enrolled and mustered 
May 20, 1862; wounded in action, front of Petersburg, \^a., 
June 24, 1864; discharged July 20, 1865, at Lovell General 
Hospital, Portsinouth Grove, R. I., on surgeon's certificate. 

Allen, Charles I. Enrolled and mustered April 6, 1S65 ; mus- 
tered out of service June 27, 1S65. 

Austin, Henry. Enrolled and mustered April Cu 1S65 ; mus- 
tered out of service June 27, 1865. 

Baker, Charles H., Attleboro, Mass. Enrolled Oct. 22, 1S61 ; 
mustered Oct. 29, 1861 ; mustered out of service Oct. 28, 
i8r.4. 

Bassett, Philip L., Portsmouth, R. I. Enrolled Oct. 27, 1861 ; 
mustered Oct. 29, 1S61 : jirisoner of war March 31, 1862, 
captured while on picket near New Berne, N. C. ; paroled; 
discharged Dec. 2, 1862, on sin-"eon's certificate. 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. 26I 

Baten, Nathan, Phenix. R. I. Enrolled Oct. 4. 1S61 : mus- 
tered Oct. 2C), 1S61 : mustered out of service Oct. jS. 1S64. 

Baxter, Henry H., Pawtucket, R. I. Enrolled Oct. 19, 1S61 ; 
mustered Oct. 29. 1S61 : died in General Hospital, Annapo- 
lis, Md., Feb. 5, 1S62. 

Bentley, David, Woonsocket, R. I. See artiticer. 

Brayman, George H., Waketleld, R. I. Enrolled Oct. 12. 1S61 : 
mustered Oct. 29, 1S61 ; re-enlisted Dec. 12. 1S63: mustered 
out of service June 27, 1S65. 

Boyd, William A., Olneyville. R. I. Enrolled Oct. 28.1861: 
mustered Oct. 29, 1861 : mustered out of service Oct. 28, 1864. 

Bryant, Frank, Warwick, R. I. Enrolled Oct. 8, 1861 ; mus- 
tered Oct. 29, 1S61 ; discharged Sept. 12, 1862, on surgeon's 
certificate. 

Butler, Freeman, Providence, R. I. Enrolled May 21, 1S61 ; 
mustered June 6, i8r)i : private. Battery A: transferred to F 
Oct. 3. 1S61 : discharged Dec. 15, 1861. 

Burr, Calvin C, Bellingham, Mass. See sergeant. 

Butterworth, John, Warren, R. I. Enrolled Oct. 18. 1861 : 
mustered Oct. 29. 1861 : wounded Dec. 16. 1862. at White- 
hall, X. C. : left hand amputated: discharged Sept. 18, 
1863, on surgeon's certificate. 

Bartlett, John E., New Bedford, Mass. Enrolled and mus- 
tered March 19, 1S62 : died at Beaufort. N. C. of brain 
fever, July 28, 1S62. 

BicKNELL, Jesse B., Phenix. R. I. See corporal. 

Bastian, Williaai J.. Carolina Mills, R. L See sergeant. 

Brower, William, Westerly, R. I. Enrolled and mustered 
May 17, 1862; mustered out of service May iS, 1865. 

Bagan, Thomas, Providence, R. I. Enrolled and mustered 
July 21, 1862: discharged Oct. 20, 1862. on surgeon's cer- 
tificate. 



262 BATTERY F, 

Barnes, Daniel W., Graniteville, R. I. Enrolled and mustered 
July 26, 1862; wounded at Drury's Biuft" May 16, 1S64: 
mustered out of seryice June 7, 1S65. 

Bryant, Henry, Warwick, R. I. Enrolled and mustered July 
26, 1862 ; mustered out of seryice June 7, 1S65. 

Bexway, Thomas, Grafton, Mass. Enrolled May 9, 1S63: mus- 
tered May 13, 1863; died at Fort Monroe, Va., Oct. 7, 1S64. 

Barbour, George W., Warwick, R. I. Enrolled and mustered 
Sept. 22, 1S64: mustered out of seryice June 27, 1S65. 

BLACKvyELL, RoBERT, Ireland. Enrolled and mustered Sept. 
29, 1S64; mustered out of seryice June 27, 1S65. 

Bennett, Eli A. Enrolled and mustered March 21,, 1S65 ; 
mustered out of service June 27, 1S65. 

Bailey, Augustus C. Enrolled and mustered March 25, 1S65 ; 
mustered out of service June 27, 1S65. 

Blackmar, Francis. Enrolled and mustered March 27, 1S65 ; 
mustered out of service June 27, 1S65. 

Baxter, Bernard. Enrolled and mustered March 30, 1S65 ; 
mustered out of service June 27, 1S65. 

Browning, Gardner K. Enrolled and mustered April 3, 1865; 
mustered out of service June 27, 1865. 

Burns, James. Enrolled and mustered April 5, 1S65 ; mustered 
out of service June 27, 1865. 

Barry, John. Enrolled and mustered April 5, 1S65 ; mustered 

out of service June 27, 1865. 
lUc'ii ANAN, John. Enrolled and mustered April 7, 1S65 ; mus- 
tered out of st-rvice July 7, 1865. 
Card, Charles 1)., Warw:ck, R. I. See wagoner. 
Chaffee, William 11., Seekonk, Mass. Enrolled and mustered 
Oct. 29, 1S61 ; disch.arged June 27, 1S62, on surgeon's cer- 
tificate. 
Church, [oseimi, jr., Tiverton, R. 1. See corporal. 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. 263 

CosTELLo, John. Enrolled Oct. 28, 1S61 ; mustered Oct. 29,, 
jS6i ; discharged July i, 1S62, on surgeon's certificate. 

Collins, Oscar S., Blackstone, iSlass. Enrolled Oct. i, 1S61 ; 
mustered Oct. 29, 1S61 : re-enlisted Dec. 12, 1S63: detached 
service Com. Dept. iSth Corps, Aug. 13, 1S64; mustered 
out of service July 7, 1S65. 

Crossmax, Daniel, Burrillville, R. L Enrolled Oct. 19, 1S61 ; 
mustered Oct. 29, 1S61 ; discharged July 10, 1S62, on sur- 
geon's certificate. 

Cunningham, James, Providence, R. I. Enrolled Oct. 7, 1861 ; 
mustered Oct. 29, 1S61 ; mustered out of service Oct. 2S, 1S64. 

Clarke, James P., South Kingstown, R. I. See sergeant. 

Chester, John H., Ilopkinton, R. I. Enrolled and mustered 
April 3, 1862 ; mustered out of service April 5, 1S65. 

Cruden, Edward, Boston, Mass. Enrolled and mustered July 
5, 1S62 ; discharged June 2^, 1S63, on surgeon's certificate. 

Curtis, Ellis M., Providence, R. I. Enrolled and mustered 
July 15, 1862; mustered out of service June 7, 1S65. 

Coulters, John R., Coventry, R. I. Enrolled and mustered 
July 23, 1S62 : mustered out of service June 7, 1S65. 

Cassidy, Barney, Lonsdale, R. L Enrolled April 27, 1S63 ; 
mustered May 13, 1863; mustered out of service June 27, 
1865. 

Connor, James, Ireland. Enrolled May 4, 1S63: mustered May 
13, 1863; died U. S. A. General Hospital, New Berne, X. 
C, Oct. 30, 1863, of inflammation of the lungs. 

Crandall, George S., Richmond, R. I. Enrolled and mus- 
tered Nov. 2Ti, 1864: mustered out of service June 27, 1S65. 

Cook, \Villia;m M. Enrolled and mustered March 27, 1865; 
mustered out of service June 27, 1S65. 

Chamberlin, Oscar F. Enrolled and mustered RLarch 30, 1S65 ; 
mustered out of service, June 27, 1S65. 



264 BATTERY F, 

Crosby, George F. L. Enrolled and mustered March 30, 1S65 ; 
mustered out of service June 27, 1S65. 

Clark, Oliver H. Enrolled and mustered April 3, 1S65 : 
mustered out of service June 27, 1S65. 

Cook, Stephen E. Enrolled and mustered April 4. 1S65 : mus- 
tered out of service June 27. 1S65. 

Caprux, James E. Enrolled and mustered April 4, 1865 ; mus- 
tered out of service June 2-j. 1S65. 

Carltox, Charles. Enrolled and mustered April 6. 1S65 : 
mustered out of service June 27. 1S65. 

Caughlix, Johx. Enrolled and mustered April 6. 1865: mus- 
tered out of service June 27, 1S65. 

Dailey, David, Warwick. R. I. Enrolled Oct. 15, 1861 : mus- 
tered Oct. 29, 1S61 : re-enlisted Feb. 16, 1S64; killed in ac- 
tion on Manchester and Petersburg turnpike, near Drurj^'s 
Bluff, Va..May 12. 1S64. 

Daxforth.OziasC. Jr., Providence. R.I. EnrolledOct.21. 1861 : 
mustered Oct. 29, 1S61 : mustered out of service Oct. 28, 1864. 

Davis, James C, Rehoboth, Mass. Enrolled Oct. 21, 1S61; 
mustered Oct. 29, 1S61 ; mortally wounded in action May 16, 
1864, at Drury's Bluff, Va. : died May 30, 1864, at Rich- 
mond. Va., while a prisoner of war. 

Day. Hexry F., Providence, R. I. Enrolled May 22. 1861 ; 
mustered June Ci, 1S61 : transferred from Battery A. First R. 
I. Light Artillery. Oct. 3. 1861 : discharged Feb. 20. 1S62, 
on surgeon's certificate. 

DiLLAHAR, William P., Providence. R. 1. Enrolled Oct. 9, 
1S61; mustered Oct. 29, iS6i : discharged Nov. 29. 1861, on 
surgeon's certificate. 

Druwx. Davio, Pawtucket. R. I. Enrolled Oct. 28, 1861 ; mus- 
tered Oct. 29, 1S61 : re-enlisted Jan. i, 1864: injured while 
on duty, March iS, 1S65 : portion of hand amputated; dis- 
charged July 28, 1865, on surgeon's certificate. 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. 265 

Duffy, Hugh, Warwick, R. I. Enrolled Oct. 15, 1S61 : mus- 
tered Oct. 29, 1S61 ; mustered out of service Oct. j8, 1S64. 

Duffy, Peter, Warwick, R. L Enrolled Oct. 2S, 1S61 ; mus- 
tered Oct. 29, 1S61 ; mustered out of service Oct. 28, 1864. 

Davis, William >L, Westerly, R. I. Enrolled and mus- 
tered March 27. iS(')2 : died at New Berne, X. C, Aug. 27, 
1S62, of diarrhcua. 

DoLAX, James. Enrolled and mustered March 22, 1S65 ; mus- 
tered out of service June 27, 1S65. 

Duffy, Patrick. See corporal. 

DwYER, Michael. Enrolled and mustered March 28, 1865; 
mustered out of service June 27, 1865. 

Dereex, Robert. Enrolled and mustered April i, 1865: mus- 
tered out of service June 27, 1865. 

DeWolf, LevvTs C. Enrolled and mustered April 3, 1S65 : mus- 
tered out of service June 27, 1865. 

Dinkle, Richard. Mustered April 3. 1S65. Deserted at Rich- 
mond, ^'a., June 5, 1S65. 

Donahue, Matthew. Mustered April 7, 1865; mustered out of 
service June 27, 1S65. 

Eddy, Ephraim R., Providence, R. I. Enrolled Oct. 6, 1S61 ; 
mustered Oct. 29, 1861 : mustered out of service Oct. 28, 
1S64. 

Easterbrooks, Sylvester, Warren, R. I. Enrolled April 29, 
1863; mustered May 13, 1863; wounded inaction on Man- 
chester and Petersburg turnpike, near Drury's Bluti", Va., 
May 12, 1864: died May 24, 1864, at U. S. A. General Hospi- 
tal, Hampton, Va., from wounds (right foot amputated). 

Eldridge, James C. Mustered March 28, 1S65 : mustered out of 
service June 27. iSfi:;. 

EsTLE, William B. Mustered March 28, 1S65 : mustered out 
of service June 27, 1S65. 
34 



266 BATTERY F, 

FiTZGiBBONS, John, Providence, R. I. Enrolled Oct. i, iS6i ; 
mustered Oct. 29, 1861 ; discharged Oct. 16, 1S63, on sur- 
geon's certificate. 

Fuller, George E., Rehoboth, Mass. Enrolled Oct. 19, 1861 ; 
mustered Oct. 29, 1S61 : taken prisoner April 19, 1862, while 
on picket near New Berne, N. C. : paroled: discharged 
Aug. 12, 1862, on surgeon's certificate. 

Fenxer, Albert S., Johnston, R. I. Enrolled and mustered 
April 4, 1862 : mustered out of service April 5, 1865. 

Fairbanks, Joseph O., Providence, R. 1. Enrolled and mus- 
tered July 9, 1862: mustered out of service June 7, 1S65. 

Ford, Robert T., Derran, N. H. Enrolled and mustered Oct. 
5, 1S64: transferred from Battery B. First R. I. Light Artil- 
lery: mustered out of service June 27, 1865. 

Fish, Bennett J. See corporal. 

Fay, Thomas S. Mustered March 28, 1865: mustered out of 
service June 27, 1S65. 

Flagg, George E. Mustered March 31, 1865: mustered out of 
service June 27, 1865. 

Graham, IIexrv. Jr., Providence, R. I. Enrolled and mus- 
tered June 6. 1S61 : transferred from Battery A. First R. I. 
Light Artillery, Oct. 3, 1861 : second lieut., Fourteenth 
R. L IL Artillery, (colored), Oct. 6, 1863. 

Gage, George S., Pawtucket, R. L See corporal. 

Golden, Michael, Providence, R. L Enrolled Oct. 19. 1861 : 
mustered Oct. 29, 1S61 : re-enlisted Feb. 16, 1S64: wounded at 
Drury's Blufl", Vix., May 16, 1864: wounded at Chaffin's Farm, 
Va., Sept. 29, 1864: mustered out of service June 27, 1865. 

Grahaai, Isaac, North Swansey, Mass. See corporal. 

Granger, James, Providence. R. I. Enrolled Oct. 28, 1861 : 
mustered Oct. 29, uSru : discharged May 17, 1S62. on sur- 
sreon's certificate. 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. 26/ 

Grinxell, Albert. Tiverton, R. I. Enrolled Oct. 26, 1S61; 

mustered Oct. 29. 1S61 : mustered out of service Oct. 2S, 

1S64. 
Grinxell. Benjamin H.. Tiverton, R. I. Enrolled Oct. 26, 

1S61 : mustered Oct. 29, 1S61 : mustered out of service Oct. 

28, 1S64. 
Gavitt, James L.. Westerly, R. I. Enrolled and mustered 

March 31, 1S62 : killed in action at Whitehall, X. C, Dec. 

16, 1S62. 
Godfrey. William. Mustered April 3. iS'')5: deserted at 

Richmond, Va.. June i, 1S65. 
GoFF, Amasa R. Mustered April 4, 1S65 : died June 2S, 1S65, of 

chronic diarrhcea. 
Haley, Mark, Providence, R. I. Enrolled Oct. 7, 1S61 : mus- 
tered Oct. 29, 1S61 : mustered out of service Oct. 2S, 1S64. 

Hall, Henry, Thompson, Conn. Enrolled Oct. 19, 1S61 : mus- 
tered Oct. 29, 1S61 : severely wounded in action on Man- 
chester and Petersburg turnpike, near Drury's Bluti, Vn., 
May 12, 1S64: died of wounds Sept. 28, 1864, at Brattleboro', 
Vt." 

Haruisox, Joseph R.. Providence, R. I. Enrolled Oct. 19, 
1861 : mustered Oct. 29, 1S61 : mustered out of service Oct. 
28, 1864. 

Harper, Edward, New York. N. "S". Enrolled and mustered 
Oct. 30, 1861 : deserted Nov. 13, 1S61, at Camp Sprague, 
Washington, D. C. 

Healey, William B., Providence. R I. Enrolled Oct. 14, 1S61 : 
mustered Oct. 29, 1861 : died at Roanoke Island, N. C, 
March 19, 1862, of typhoid fever. 

HoLLowAY, Bexjamix A., North Providence, R. I. Enrolled 
Oct. 28, 1S61 : mustered Oct. 29, 1861 : mustered out of ser- 
vice Oct. 28, 1864. 



268 BATTERY F, 

HoRTOX, Alonzo C, Providence, R. I. Enrolled Oct. 22, 1S61 : 
mustered Oct. 29, 1S61 ; died at Hatteras Inlet, X. C, Feb. 
19, 1S62, of intlammation of tlie brain. 

HoRTON, Hexry R. See corporal. 

HoYT, JoHX, Pawtiicket, R. I. Enrolled Oct. 24, 1S61 : mus- 
tered Oct. 29, 1S61 : discharged July 10, 1S62, on surgeon's 
certificate. 

HuxT, JoHX N., Seekonk, Mass. Enrolled Oct. 14, 1S61 : mus- 
tered Oct. 29, 1S61 : discharged ^^ay 23, 1S62, on surgeon's 
certificate. 

HoxiE, Le()X\rd, Dorrville, R. L Enrolled and mustered 
March 7, 1S62 ; discharged June 9, 1S62, on surgeon's cer- 
tificate. 

Hazard, Job, South Kingstown, R. I. Enrolled and mustered 
March 29, 1862: died in camp near Kinston, N. C, Dec. 20, 
1S62, of diphtheria. 

Haxdall, Ciiaxdler X.. Richmond, R. I. See wagoner. 

HoPKixs, Perez A., Providence, R. I. Enrolled and mustered 
July 19, 1S62 : wounded at Chaftin's Farm, Va., Sept. 29, 
1S64: discharged May 22. 1S65, on surgeon's certificate. 

Hart, Michael, Willimantic, Conn. See corporal. 

HoPKixs, Elijah, Warwick. R. I. Mustered Sept. 22, 1S64; 
mustered out of service June 7, 1S65. 

HoRTox. Thomas, Providence. R. I. Mustered Dec. 2, 1S64: 
mustered out of service June 27, 1865. 

HiGtiixs. Johx. Mustered March 2^, 1S65 : mustered out of 
service June 27, 1865. 

HuLcHiTox, James O. Mustered March 28, 1865: mustered out 
of service July 9, 1865. 

Holt, Charles. Mustered March 30, iSr)^: mustered out of ser- 
vice June 27, 1S65. 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. 269 

HoLDEX. Edwin A\'. Mustered April 4, 1S65 ; mustered out of 

service June 27. 1S65. 
Hill, James. Mustered April 5, 1S65 : mustered out of service 

June 27, 1S65. 
HoPKixs, Stephen F. Mustered April 6, 1S65 : mustered out 

of service June 27, 1S65. 
Jexckes, Albert J., Providence, R. I. Enrolled Mav 15, 1S61 ; 

mustered June 6. 1S61 : transferred from Battery A. First R. 

I. Light Artillery, Oct. 3, 1S61 : mustered out of ser\ice 

June 5, 1S64. 
JoHXSOX, James S.. Richmond. R. I. Enrolled and mustered 

March 29, 1S62 : discharged Oct. 27, 1S62. on surgeon's cer- 
tificate. 

JoHXSOX, AxDREW. Provideuce. R. I. Enrolled and mustered 
Mav 16, 1S62 : mustered out of service May 17, 1S65. 

JoHXsox, James. Mustered April 6. 1S65 : mustered out of 
service June 27, 1S65. 

Jordan, Edwin A. Mustered April 6, 1865 : mustered out of 
service June 27. 1S65. 

Kavanaugh, Michael, Pawtucket. R. I. Enrolled Oct. 9, iS6i : 
mustered Oct. 29, 1S61 : mustered out of service Oct. 28, 
1S64. 

Keach, Charles. Burrillville, R. I. Enrolled Oct. 21, 1S61 : 
mustered Oct. 29, 1861 : mustered out of service Oct. 28, 
1864. 

Kenyon, Welcome W., South Kingstown. R. I. Enrolled 
Oct. 7. 1S61; mustered Oct. 29, 1861 ; died Sept. 12, 1864, at 
U. S. A. General Hospital, West's Building, Baltimore. Md., 
(chronic diarrhcea.) 

King, Iames M., Tiverton, R. L Enrolled Oct. 2, 1861; mus- 
tered Oct. 29, 1861 : mustered out of service Oct. 28, 1864. 



270 BATTERY F, 

KiXG, Charles T., Scituate, R. I. Enrolled and mustered 
August 5, 1S62 : captured near Richmond, \'a., Oct. 2-, 1864; 
returned to duty April 11, 1S65 ; mustered out of service 
July 7, 1S65. 

KiERAXs, James, Ireland. Mustered July i, 1S64; mustered out 
of service June 27, 1S65. 

Kelly, Thomas. Mustered April 4, 1S65 ; deserted from con- 
script camp, Alexandria, Va., en route to the battery, May 
II, 1S65. 

Knight, Moses O. Mustered April 6, 1S65; discharged May 
26, 1S65, on surgeon's certificate. 

King, John A. Mustered April 6, 1S65 ; mustered out of ser- 
vice June 27, 1S65. 

Laughlin, Robert, Providence, R. I. Enrolled May 15, 1S61 ; 
mustered June 6, 1S61 ; transferred from Battery A, First 
R. I. Light Artillery, Oct. 3, 1S61 : discharged Feb. 20, 1S62, 
on surgeon's certificate. 

Leach. Albert C, Pawtucket, R. L See corporal. 

Love, Henry A., Warwick, R. L Enrolled Oct. 4, 1S61 : mus- 
tered Oct. 29, 1S61 ; wounded March 27, 1S62, while on 
picket near New Berne. X. C. : mustered out of service Oct. 
28, 1S64. 

Luther, Stephen G.. Providence, R. L Enrolled Oct. 14, 
1861 : mustered Oct. 29, 1S61 ; discharged March 29, 1S62, 
on surgeon's certificate. 

Larkin, Reuben E., Richmond, R. \. Enrolled and mustered 
April 2, 1862: died June 12, 1862, at New Berne, X. C, of 
typhoid fever. 

LoNERGAN, Ja.mes, Piovidcnce, R. I. Enrolled and mustered 
Aug. 7, 1S62 ; mustered out of service June 7, iS^^. 

L()().\ns, Henry. Mustered March 29, iS(')5 : mustered out of 
service June 27, 1865. 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. 2/1 

AIcCavanagh, John. Enrolled and mustered Sept. 20, 1S61 ; 
transferred from Co. E, Twenty-seventh Massachusetts In- 
fantry", May II, 1S63: captured at Drury's Bluff, Va.,May 
16, 1S64; paroled Dec. 13, 1S64; mustered out of service 
Jan. 18, 1S65. 

Manchester, George C, Tiverton, R. L See sergeant. 

MacoiMber, Frederic D., Portsmouth. R. L Enrolled Oct. 14, 
1S61 : mustered Oct. 29, 1S61 : wounded severely in arm, at 
Proctor's Creek, Va., May 12, 1S64; mustered out of service 
OcL 28, 1S64. 

Martix, Patrick, Warwick, R. 1. See sergeant. 

McCabe, Patrick, Providence, R. I. Enrolled Oct. 10, 1S61 : 
mustered Oct. 29, 1S61 : killed in action at Drury's Bluff", 
Va., Maj 16, 1864. 

McCarty, Michael, Lowell, ^Liss. Enrolled Oct. 9, 1S61 : 
mustered Oct. 29, 1S61 : mustered out of service Oct. 28, 
1864. 

McAllis, Dennis, Providence, R. I. Enrolled Oct. 19, 1S61 : 
mustered Oct. 29, 1S61 : discharged Sept. 8, 1862, on sur- 
geon's certificate. 

Miller, Seth B., Seekonk, Mass. Enrolled Oct. 17. 1861 : 
mustered Oct. 29, 1S61 : mustered out of service Oct. 2S, 
1864. 

Miner, Joseph, Warwick, R. I. See corporal. 

Morris, Thomas, Burrillville, R. I. Enrolled Oct. 23, 1S61 ; 
mustered Oct. 29, 1861 ; mustered out of service Oct. 28, 
1S64. 

McCoMB, John, Providence, R. I. Enrolled and mustered 
March 22, 1862: died Aug. 31, 1862, at New ]?erne, N. C, 
(febris remittens.) 

Mixer. William, Warwick, R. I. Enrolled and mustered July 
22, 1S62 : mustered out of service June 7, 1865. 



2/2 BATTERY F, 

McGriRE, John. Providence, R. I. See corporal. 

McGuiNXES, Arthur, Ireland. Mustered Aug. 31, 1S64: mus- 
tered out of service June 27, 1S65. 

McBath. Daniel, Providence, R. I. Mustered April 3, 1S65; 
deserted June i, 1S65, at Richmond, \'a, 

McCaxx, George. Mustered April 6, 1S65 ; mustered out of 
service June 27, 1S65. 

McCanx, John. Mustei^ed April 6, 1865 ; mustered out of ser- 
vice June 27, 1865. 

McGiNiTY, Patrick. Mustered April 6, 1865: mustered out of 
service June 27, 1S65. 

MoxoHAN, Michael. Mustered April 6, 1865 : mustered out of 
service June 27, 1865. 

Nickersox, George H., Woonsocket, R. I. Enrolled Oct. 27, 
1861 : mustered Oct. 29, i56i ; re-enlisted Jan. 4, 1S64; 
wounded in action before Petersburg, Ya., June 24, 1S64; 
discharged Maj 8, 1S65, on surgeon's certificate. 

Nye, Joxathax R., Wakefield, R. I. Enrolled and mustered 
March 2tj. 1862: died Aug. 3, 1862, at New Berne, N. C, 
(diphtheria.) 

Nye, Hexry E., Wakefield. R. T. See corporal. 

Nesbitt, William, Westerly, R. I. Enrolled and mustered May 
17, 1862; killed in action at Whitehall, N. C., Dec. 16, 1862. 

Nevil. Johx, Westerly, R. I. Enrolled and mustered July 3, 
1862: mustered out of service June 7, iSC)-,. 

Nevil, Daxiel. Mustered April 3, 1865; mustered out of ser- 
vice June 27, 1865. 

North, Frederick E. Mustered April 5, 1865; mustered out 
of service June 27, 1865. 

OsiioRNE, JoH.v, Woonsocket, R.I. Enrolled Oct. iS, 1S61 ; 
mustered Oct. 29, 1861 ; discharged July 17, 1S63, on sur- 
geon's certificate. 



FIRST R. I. LICxlIT ARTILLERY. 2/3 

Openshaw, William E., Newport, R. L Mustered Oct. :;, 

1864; mustered out of service June 2-j, iS6^. 
Parker, George W., Rehoboth, >Liss. Enrolled Oct. 21, 1861 ; 

mustered Oct. 2g, 1S61 ; mustered out of service Oct. 28, 

1864. 

P.WNE, Pardon S., Pawtucket, R. I. Enrolled Oct. 5, 1S61 ; 
mustered Oct. 29, 1S61 ; discliarged July 2, 1863, to enlist as 
hospital steward, U. S. A. 

Perry, Valorus N., Pawtucket, R. I. Enrolled Oct. 28, 1861 ; 
mustered Oct. 29, 1861 : mustered out of service Oct. 28, 

1864. 

Pierce, James M., Swansej, Mass. See corporal. 

Pendleton, Ethan D., Wakefield, R. I. Enrolled and mus- 
tered March 27, 1862; mustered out of service March 27, 
1865. 

Phillips, William J., South Kingstown, R. I. See corporal. 
Phelon, DeWitt C. Mustered March 30, 1S65 : mustered out 

of service June 27, 1865. 
Prospert, John H. See corporal. 
Paine, George W. Mustered April 5, 1865: mustered out of 

service June 27, 1865. 
Randall, Daniel L., Johnston, R. I. Enrolled Oct. 2p^, 1861 ; 

mustered Oct. 29, 1861 ; mustered out of ser\ice Oct. 28, 

1864. 

Reynolds, Michael, Providence, R. I. Enrolled Oct. 2^, 
1S61 : mustered Oct. 29, 1861 ; discharged Feb. 27, 1862, on 
sui'geon's certificate. 

Rogers, Daniel G., Coventry, R. I- Enrolled Oct. 21, 1S61 ; 
inustered Oct. 29, 1S61 : wounded in action at Drury's Bluff, 
Va., May 16, 1864: mustered out of service Oct. 28, 1864. 

Rogers, James, Providence, R. I. See corporal. 
35 



274 BATTERY F, 

Richmond, John H., Lisbon, Conn. Enrolled and mustered 
April 7, 1S62 : discharged Sept. 3, 1S6::, on surgeon's cer- 
tificate. 

Reudy, Thomas, Warwick, R. I. Enrolled and mustered Ma}- 
17, 1S62 ; mustered out of service May iS, 1S65. 

RoDGERS, JoHX, St. Louis, Mo. Enrolled and mustered April 
20, 1S63 ; mustered out of service June 27, 1865. 

Ryax, Michael M. Mustered March 23, 1865; deserted June 
16, 1865, at Richmond, Va. 

Robinson, William A. Mustered March 27, 1865: mustered 
out of seivice June 27, 1865. 

Rider, Charles II. Mustered i\pril 3, 1S65 ; deserted June 6, 
1865, at Richmond, Va. 

Randall, Herman. Mustered April 5, 1S65; mustered out of 
service June 27, 1865- 

Rouse, Russell C. Mustered April 6, 1865 ; mustered out of 
service June 27, 1865. 

Stanley, Milton, Providence, R. I. Enrolled May 15, 1S61 : 
mustered June 6, 1861 ; transferred from Battery A, Oct. 3, 
1861 : re-enlisted Dec. 12, 1863: died Dec. 6, 1864, at Provi- 
dence, R. I., while on furlough from Lovell General Hospi- 
tal, Portsmouth Grove, R. I. 

Saunders, William R., South Scituate, R. I.. Enrolled Oct. 
25, 1S61 ; mustered Oct. 29, 1861 ; mustered out of service 
Oct. 28, 1S64. 

Scii.Mii), I. Casi'er, Providence, R. I. See sergeant. 

Sheldon, Nehemiah K., Woonsocket, R. I. Elnrolled Oct. 12, 
1861; mustered Oct. 29, 1861 ; discharged Sept. 12, 1862, on 
surgeon's certificate. 

Sheldon, (George II., Riverpoint, R. I. Enrolled Oct. 24, 1861 ; 
mustered Oct. 29, 1861 ; mustered out of service Oct. 28, 
1864. 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. 2/5 

SiMoxs, Henry, Tiverton, R. I. Enrolled Oct. 14, 1861 ; mus- 
tered Oct. 29, 1S61 ; discharged M;ij 15, iS6j, on surgeon's 
certificate. 

Smith, James H., Tiverton, R. I. Enrolled Oct. 25, 1S61 ; mus- 
tered Oct. 21J, 1S61 ; mustered out of service Oct. 28, 1864. 

Smith, Thomas D., Tiverton, R. L Enrolled Oct. 28, 1861 : 
mustered Oct. 29, 1S61 ; discharged Oct. 27, 1862, on sur- 
geon's certificate. 

Spelman, James, Providence, R. I. Enrolled Oct. 19, 1S61 ; 
mustered Oct. 29, iS6i ; discharged Dec. 25, 1861,011 sur- 
geon's certificate. 

Steward, Charles, Providence, R. I. Enrolled and mustered 
Oct. 29, 1861 ; deserted at Annapolis, Md., Jan. 5, 1862. 

Stone, Clovis, Olnejville, R. I. See corporal. 

Straight, Joseph L., East Greenwich, R. I. Enrolled Oct. i, 
1861 ; mustered Oct. 29, 1861 ; discharged April 29, 1S62, on 
surgeon's certificate. 

Sykes, Darius W., Pawtucket, R. I. See wagoner. 

Sweet, Matthew, Providence, R. I. Enrolled Oct. 8, 1861 ; 
mustered Oct. 29, 1861 ; mustered out of service Oct. 28, 
1S64. 

Sayles, John W., New York, N. Y. See first sergeant. 

Smith, William M., Wickford, R. I. See corporal. 

Streeter, Jeremiah, South Kingstown, R. I. Enrolled and 
mustered March 29, 1862: mustered out of service Marcii 31, 
1865. 

Spencer, Alfred B., Scituate, R. I. Enrolled and mustered 
April 3, 1862; mustered out of service April 5, 1865. 

Stackpole, Thomas, Willimantic, Conn. Enrolled and mus- 
tered July 21, 1S62 ; mustered out of service June 7, 1865. 

Sadler, Charles H. Mustered March 22, 1865: mustered out 
of service June 27, 1S65. 



276 BATTERY F, 

Sheex, WiLLiAixi. Mustered March 24, 1S65 : mustered out of 

service June 27, 1S65. 
Sn'ow, AuGusTis F. Mustered March 28, 1S65 : mustered out 

of service June 27, 1S65. 

Smith, Frederick. Mustered March 2S, 1S65 ; mustered out of 

servicejune 27, 1S65. 
Smith, Richard P. Mustered March 29, 1S65 : mustered out 

of service June 27, 1S65. 
ScHEUREN, John J. Mustered March 30, 1S65 : mustered out of 

servicejune 27, 1S65. 
Sanford, Charles G. Mustered April 3, 1S65 : mustered out 

of service June 27, 1S65. 
Shervvin, George H. Mustered Aj)ril 4, 1865: mustered out 

of servicejune 27, 1S65. 
Salisbury, George C. Mustered April 4, 1865: mustered out 

of service June 5, 1S65. 
Shaw, Frank. Mustered .Vpril 4, iS6q : mustered out of ser- 
vice June 27, 1S65. 
Spring, Johx, Jr. Mustered April 7, 1S65 : mustered out of 

service June 27, 1S65. 

Taylor, Barton K., Scituate, R. I. Enrolled Oct. 25, 1S61 : 
mustered Oct. 29. 1S61 : discharged Feb. 20, 1862, on sur- 
geon's certificate. 

Tefft, William A., Wakefield, R. I. See corporal. 

Titus, Charles R., Pawtucket, R. I. Enrolled Oct. 9, 1S61 : 
mustered Oct. 29, 1S61 ; discharged March 2, 1S62, on sur- 
geon's certificate. 

Titus, Nelson B., Taunton, Mass. Enrolled Oct. 25, i56i : 
mustered Oct. 29, 1861: re-enlisted Dec. 12, 1863; mustered 
out of service Jul\- 7, 1865. 

Tanner, Henry, Providence, R. 1. Enrolled and mustered 
July -^, iSC>2 : mustered out of service June 7, 1865. 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. 2J'J 

Tygxe, Patrick. Mustered March 28, 1S65 : mustered out of 
service June jS, iS6v 

Tyrell, Thomas. Mustered April i, 1S65 : mustered out of 
service June 27, 1S65. 

Tucker, Charles. Mustered April 5. 1S65 : mustered out of 
service June 27, 1S65. 

Taylor, Galex. Mustered April 6. 1S65 ; mustered out of ser- 
vice June 27, 1S65. 

Vars, Charles C, Westerly, R. I. Enrolled Oct. 28, 1861 : 
mustered Oct. 29, 1S61 : captured at Drury's Bluff, \'a., May 
16, 1S64; paroled Dec. 11, 1S64; mustered out of service 
Jan. 29, 1S65. 

ViCKERY, Shubael, Pawtucket, R. L Enrolled Oct. 28, 1861: 
mustered Oct. 29, 1861 ; deserted Nov. 5, 1S61, at Camp 
Sprague, Washington, D. C. 

VI^•CEXT, James, Providence, R. I. See sergeant. 

Walker, Albert R., Central Falls. R. L See sergeant. 

Walton, Hexry, England. Enrolled Oct. 28, iS6t : mustered 
Oct. 29, 1861 ; mustered out of service Oct. 28, 1S64. 

West, Gardxer N., Wrentham, Mass. See sergeant. 

Whittaker, Johx S., Providence, R. I. See corporal. 

White, Charles E., Providence, R. I. Enrolled Oct. 14, 1861 : 
mustered Oct. 29, 1861 : mustered out of service Oct. 28, 
1S64. 

Whitmax, Charles, Providence, R. I. Enrolled Oct. 7, 1861 : 
mustered Oct. 29, 1S61 ; re-enlisted Jan. 4, \'$,U^\ wounded 
in action at Chaffin's Farm, Va., Sept. 29, 1864: mustered 
out of service June 27, 1865. 

Whitmax, Reubex, Phenix, R. I. Enrolled Oct. 15, 1861 : 
mustered Oct. 29, 1861 : discharged Oct. 20, 1862. on sur- 
geon's certificate. 

Winchester, Edward H.. Glocester, R. I. See artificer. 



2/8 BATTERY F, 

Wilcox, Edward, Tiverton, R. I. See corporal. 

Wilcox, Frederic, Tiverton, R. I. See corporal. 

WiLKiE, Henry C, Tiverton, R.I. Enrolled Oct. 21, 1861; 
mustered Oct. 29, 1S61 : wounded in action at Chaffin's 
Farm, Va., Sept. 29, 1S64 : mustered out of service Oct. 28, 
1S64. 

Wilbur, Thomas E., Pawtucket, R. I. See quartermaster-ser- 
geant. 

WiNSOR, John O., Johnston, R. I. See corporal. 

Wood, John, New Bedford, Mass. Enrolled Oct. 4, 1S61 : mus- 
tered Oct. 29, 1S61 : discharged Jan. 14, 1863, on surgeon's 
certificate. 

Wood, Albert S.. Ilopkinton, R. I. See bugler. 

WooDMANSiE, Sylvester, Riclimond. R. I. Enrolled and mus- 
tered March 24, 1862: re-enlisted March 30, 1S64; mustered 
out of service June 27, 1865. 

Wilbur, John B. F., Richmond, R. I. See corporal. 

Wright, Thomas P., South Kingstown, R. I. Enrolled and 
mustered April 3, 1862: mustered out of service April 5, 1S65. 

Welch, William, Ireland. Enrolled and mustered April 4, 
1862 : mustered out of service April 5, 1S65. 

Whittemore, Henry, Providence, R. I. Enrolled and mus- 
tered Julv 5, 1S62: discharged Sept. 28, 1863, at Washing- 
ton, D. C, for insanity. 

Wilcox, William II. II., Woodstock. Conn. See corporal. 

Whitham, Benjamin, Providence, R. I. Enrolled and mus- 
tered July iS, 1862: captured at Drury's Bluff, Va., May 16, 
1864; died at Andersonville, Ga., military prison, Sept. 18, 
1864. 

Wild, James, Providence, R. I. Enrolled and mustered July 
17, 1862: wounded in action at Chaffin's Farm, \"a., Sept. 
29, 1864; mustered out of service June 7, 1865. 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. 2/9 

WiLSOX, Ja.mes, Providence. R. I. See sergeant. 

WiLLSox. IIexry, Canada. Mustered Aug. 5, 1S64: mustered 

out of service June 27, 1S65. 
WiuTMAx^ William H., Coventry, R. I. Mustered Aug. 20, 

1S64: mustered out of service June 7, 1S65. 
Whitixg. Edward, North Attleboro, Mass. Mustered Aug. 

22, 1S64: mustered out of service |une 21, 1S65. 
White, William, Piince Edward's Island. See corporal. 
Warxer, William. Mustered April i, 1S65 ; mustered out of 

servicejime 27, 1865. 
Wallace, Thoaias. Mustered March 27, 1S65 ; deserted Mav 

10, 1S65, while en route to battery. 
Welden, Johx^. Mustered April 6, 1S65 : mustered out of 

service June 27, .1S65. 
YouxG, Edward S., Warwick, R. I. Enrolled Oct. 22,. 1S61 ; 

mustered Oct. 29, 1861 ; died in Hospital, Eighteenth Army 

Corps, July 9, 1864. 



ROLL OF MEN TEMPORARILY ATTACHED. 



Second Lieutenants. 

Robert B. Smith, i6th X. Y. Battery, from Nov. 3, 1S64, to 

Jan. j6, 1S65. 
Lorenzo Erca.mbrack, K, 3d N. Y. Artillery, from Jan. 27, 

1S65, to May II. 1S65. 

Privates. 

Ebenezkr Sherman, G, 27th Mass. Vols., as blacksmith from 

July 17, 1S63, to Dec, 1S63. 
Edward Austix, E, ist R. I. Light Artillery, from Oct. 21, 

1863, to June iS, 1S64. 

Behnard Rogers, B, i6th N. Y. Artillery, as blacksmith from 

Jan. 30, 1S64, to June 21, 1S65. 
Christian Breghner, 5th Maryland Infantry, from ]u\y 30, 

1S64, to June 21, 1S65. 
T'jhn Colwell, 5th Maryland Infantry, from July 30, 1S64, to 

June 21, 1S65. 
Richard Edwards, 5th Maryland Infantry, from July 30, 1S64. 

to June 21, 1S65. 
John Foster, 5th Maryland Infantry, from July30, 1S64, to June 

21,1 865 . 
David S. Keener, 51I1 Maryland Infantry, from July 30, 1864, 

to Dec. 3, 1S64. 
Charles H. Lawter, 5th Maryland Infantry, from July 30, 

1864, to June 21, 1865. 

James McCormick, 5th Maryland Infantry, from July 30, 1864, 
to June 21, 1865. 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. 28 1 

John Morrow, 5th Maryland Infantry, from July 30, 1S64, to 

June 21, 1S65. 
Francis G. Paul, Uh Maryland Infantry, from July 30, 1S64, to 

June 21, 1S65. 
James R. Prre, 5th Maryland Infantry, from July 30, 1S64, to 

June 21, 1865. 
JoHx RooxEY, 5th Maryland Inlantry, from July 30, 1S64, to 

June 21, 1S65. 
Isaac F. Ruthvixe, 5th Maryland Infantry, from July 30, 1S64, 

to June 21, 1S65. 
Michael Ryax. 5th Maryland Infantry, from July 30, 1864, to 

June 21, 1S65. 
Frederick Shultz, 5th Maryland Infantry, from July 30, 1S64, 

to June 21, 1S65. 
Hexry Strieb, 5th Maryland Infantry, from July 30, 1S64, to 

June 21. iSr>5. 
JoHX F. Taxeisek, 5th Maryland Infantry, tVom July 30, 1S64, 

to June 21, 1S63. 
JoHX' Walker, 5th Maryland Infantry, from July 30. 1S64, to 

June 21, 1S65. 
Charles Ward, 5th Maryland Infantry, from July 30, 1864, to 

June 21, 1865. 
Hexry Weber, 5th Maryland Intantry, from July 30, 1S64, to 

June 21, 1S65. 
Axdre\v Wirtii, 5th Maryland Infantry, tVom July 30, 1864, to 

June 21, 1S65. 

SA:MrEL Bradford, 5th Maryland Intaiitr_v, from Aug. 7, 1864, 
to June 21, 1S65. 

James Bridge, 5th Maryland Infantry, from Aug. 7, 1864, to 

June 21, 1865. 
JoHX Brooks, 5th Maryland Infantry, tVom Aug. 7, 1864, to 

June 21, 1865. 
Augustus Burrier, 5th Maryland Infantry, from Aug. 7, 1S64, 

to June 21, 1865. 
36 



282 BATTERY F, 

William Carrick, 5th Marvland Infantry, from Aug. 7, 1S64, 

to June 21, 1S65. 
Lewis Chaffmax. 5th Marvland Infantry, from Aug. 7, 1S64 to 

June :: i. iS6^. 
John Coxaway. 5th Marvland Infantry, from Aug. 7. 1S64. to 

June J I. 1S65. 
\\'iLLiAM Cox. 5th Maryland Infantry, from Aug. 7. 1S64. to 

June 21, 1S65. 
Robert Cuxxingham. qth Maryland Infantry, from Aug. 7, 

1S64, to June 21, 1S65. 
Bexjamix Dix, 5th Maryland Infantry, from Aug. 7. 1S64, to 

June 21. 1S65. 
Samuel Dorsey, 5th Maryland Infantry, from Aug. 7, 1S64, to 

June 21. 1S65. 
John Eastox, 5th Maryland Infantry, from -Vug. 7, 1S64. to 

June 21, 1865. 
AxDREW Getty. 5th Maryland Intantry. from Aug. 7, 1S64. to 

June 21, 1S65. 
JoHX McGee, 5th Maryland Infantry, from Aug. 7. 1S64. to 

June 21, 1S65. 
William Myers. 5th Maryland Infantry, from Aug. 7. 1S64. to 

June 21. 18^)5. 
AxDREW (^LWRRY. 5th Maryland Infantry. tVom Aug. 7, 1S64. to 

June 21, 1S65. 
John Ridlin, 5th Maryland Infantry, from Aug. 7. 1S64, to 

June 21, 1S65. 

Isaac Stall, 5th Maryland Infantry. tVom Aug. 7, 1S64, to 
June 21. 1 865. 

William Sweet, 5th Maryland Infantry, from Aug. 7, 1S64, to 

June 21. iSCi^. 
William Whalin, 5th Maryland Infantry, from Aug. 7. 1S64, 

to June 21, 1S65. 
Francis II. Armstronc;. 5th Maryland Infantry, from Dec. 24. 

1S64. to June 21. 1S65. 



FIRST R. I. LIGHT ARTILLERY. 283 

John Barwick, 5th ISIaryland Infantry, from Dec. 24. 1864, to 

June 21, 1S65. 
Sharply Bullock, 5th Maryland Infantry, from Dec. -;4, 1S64, 

to June 21, 1S65. 
Daniel Crawford. 5th Maryland Infantry, from Dec. 24, 1S64, 

to June 21, 1S65. 
Hugh Devli.v, 5th Maryland Infantry, from Dec. 24, 1864, to 

June 21, 1865. 
Richard Fenix, 5th Maryland Infantry, from Dec. 24, 1S64, to 

June 21, 1865. 
GusTiNE Foster, 5th Maryland Infantry, from Dec. 24, 1864, to 

June 21, 1865. 
Richard Ganett, 5th Maryland Infantry, tVom Dec. 24, 1S64, 

to June 21, 1S65. 
Samuel Holland, 5th Maryland Infantry, from Dec. 24, 1864, 

to June 21, 1S65. 
Ebenezah Irwin. 5th Maryland Infantry, tVom Dec. 24, 1864, to 

June 21, 1865. 
James Jordan. 5th Maryland Infantry, from Dec. 24. 1S64, to 

June 21, 1865. 
Francls W. Lake, 5th Maryland Infantry. tVom Dec. 24. 1864, 

to June 21, 1S65. 
Joseph Lee, 5th Maryland Infantry. fVom Dec. 24, 1S64. to June 

21, 1865. 
Jacob Lot.man, 5th Maryland Infantry, (Vom Dec. 24, 1864, to 

June 21 , 1865. 
WiLLiA.M T. McCloy, 5th Maryland Infanti-y, from Dec. 24, 1864, 

to June 21, 1865. 
Samuel McDonald, 5th Maryland Infantry, from Dec. 24. 1864, 

to June 21, 1865. 
Samuel H. Matthews, 5th Maryland Infantry, tVom Dec. 24, 

1S64. to Feb. 28, 1865. 
Jacob M. Mi.nker, 5th Maryland Infantry, fiom Dec. 24, 1S64, 

to June 21, 1S65. 



284 BATTERY F. 

John F. Moody, 5th Maryland InfantiT, from Dec. 24, 1S64. to 

June 21, 1S65. 
Kroeson Morgan, 5th Maryland Infantry, from Dec. 24, 1S64, 

to June 21, 1S65. 
John E. Moss, 5th Maryland Infantry, from Dec. 24, 1S64, to 

June 21, 1S65. 
Charles Myers, 5th Maryland Infantry, from Dec. 24, 1S64, to 

June 21, 1S65. 
Daniel O'Donoghue, 5th Maryland Infantry, from Dec. 24, 

1864, to Jan. 21, 1865. 
John P. Richardson, 5th Maryland Infantry, from Dec. 24, 

1S64, to June 21, 1S65. 
Charles Snyder, 5th Maryland Infantry, from Dec. 24, 1S64, 

to June 21, 1865. 
Charles Stephen, 5th Maryland Infantry, from Dec. 24, 1S64, 

to June 21, 1S65. 
Daniel Timney', 5th Maryland Infantry, from Dec. 24. 1S64. to 

June 21, 1865. 



MORTUARY RECORD. 



Sergeants. 



Draper, Benjamin II. Died May 27. 1S62. at New Berne. X. C, 

from amputation of left thigh, caused by kick tVom a lior.se 

while on a scout. 
ScHMiD, I. Casper, Died Oct. 7, 1S64. at Philadelphia, Pa., from 

amputation of left leg. caused by wound recei\'ed in front of 

Petersburg, Va. 

Corporal. 
Martind.\le, Benjamin F. Killed by the enemy May 2, 1862, 

while on picket on Trent road, near New Berne. N. C 

Privates. 

Bartlett. John E. Died June 28. 1862. at Hammond General 

Hospital, Beaufort. X. C, of brain fever. 
Baxter, Henry H. Died Feb. 5. 1S62. at Annapolis, Md., of 

phthisis pulmonalis. 
Benway, Thomas. Died Oct. 7, 1S64. at Fort Monroe. \'a.. of 

diarrhcea. 
Connor, James. Died Oct. 30, 1S63, at Foster General Hospi- 
tal, X'ew Berne, X. C of inflammation of lungs. 
Daley, David. Killed in action May 12. 1864, on Richmond 

and Petersburg turnpike, near Proctor's Creek, \'a. 
Davis, James C. Died May 30, 1S64, at Richmond, \'a.. from 

Avounds received in action ^lay 16, 1864, at Drury's Bluft. 
Davis, William M. Died Aug. 27, 1862, at New Berne. X. C, 

of chronic diarihcea. 



?.86 BATTERY F. 

EASTERBRdOKS, SYLVESTER. Died May 24, 1S64, at Hampton, 

Va., from wounds received in action May 12, 1864, near 

Proctor's Creek, Va. 
Gavitt, Ja.^ies L. Killed in action Dec. 16, 1S62, at Whitehall, 

N. C. 
'iIall. Henry. Died Sept. 28, 1S64, at Brattleboro, Vt.. of 

wounds received in action, May 12, 1S64, near Proctor's 

Creek, \'a. 
Hazzard, job. Died Dec. 20, 1862, near Kinston. N. C, of 

diphtheria. 
Healy, William B. Died March ly, 1S62, at Roanoke Island, 

X. C, of typhoid fever. 
HoRTox, Aloxzo C. Died Feb. 19, 1S62, at Hatteras, N. C, of 

intlammation of the brain. 
HoRTOX, Henry R. Died July 4, 1864, at Fort Monroe. Va., 

from wounds received in action June 24, 1864, in front of 

Petersburg, Va. 
Kenyon, Welcome W, Died Sept. 12, iS64.at Baltimore, Md., 

disease not stated. 
Larkix, Reuben E. Died June 12. 1862. at New Berne, N. C, 

of typhoid fever. 
McCabe, Patrick. Killed in action May 16, 1S64, at Drury's 

Bluff, \'a. 
McCo:mb, JoHX. Died Aug. 31, 1S62, at New Berne, N. C, of 

febris remiltens. 
Nesbit, William. Killed in action Dec. 16, 1862, at Whitehall, 

N. C. 
Nye, Jonathan R. Died Aug. 3, 1862, at New Berne, N. C, of 

diphtheria. 
Stanley, Milt(jx. Died Dec. 6, lSC^, at Providence, R. I., of 

bronchitis. 
WiirniAM, r>i-.NjAMix. Died Sept. 18, 1864, in Andersonville, 

(ia., military prison. 
YoiX(;, ICdwari) S. Died July 9, 1864, near City Point, \'a., 

disease not stated. 



APPENDIX. 



MY FOUR MONTHS' EXPERIENCE 



PRISONER OK WAR. 



By Captain Thomas Simpson. 



BATTERY " F," First Regiment, Rhode Island 
Light Artillery, with which I ■ had served from its 
muster in, was encamped on the 27th of October, 1864, 
at Jones's Landing on the James River, a little below and 
on the bank opposite Aikens's Landing. As the term of 
service of the officers and of most of the enlisted men 
expired on the 28th, we had received orders to draw out 
from the line of works to enable us better to make out 
the necessary papers connected with our muster-out ; and 
w^e had been encamped here a week or two. Having oc- 
casion to visit corps headquarters, some three miles 
from the James River, on the 26th, I found all the 
troops that could be spared from the works, massed in 



288 APPENDIX. 

rear preparatory to some movement, whither or with what 
object the commanding officers only knew, and they were 
not disposed to be communicative. Never having been 
near where an action was taking pUice in which our bat- 
tery did not participate, or at least expect to, I deter- 
mined, if a possible excuse could be found, to follow and 
to be a looker on. Returning to camp I found Major 
William Monroe, Allotment Commissioner from Rhode 
Island, paying the men their State bounty then due. 
He remained over night, and in the morning, after takmg 
him in my ambulance to Bermuda Hundred, where he 
took the Norfolk boat, I returned to camp, had my horse 
saddled, and with an excuse in the shape of a muster- 
roll, which the Commissary of Musters had notified me it 
would be necessary for him to see before approving the 
officers' applications for muster-out, I started for head- 
quarters, accompanied by an orderly : neither of us with 
arms of any description. 

Arriving at the ground where the troops had been 
massed the day previous, I found they had started at day- 
break, and, learning about the direction they had gone, I 
followed, hoping to overtake them by noon. Riding 
some five miles, we came to a brigade of our cavalry 
drawn up in line at a cross-road, a squadron or two of 
which were evidently ready to charge down one of the 
roads. I halted here a few moments talking with some 
acquaintances in the First New York Mounted Rifies 
(better known, in our corps at least, as - Mounted Rob- 
bers"), and after making some incpiiries as to the where- 



APPENDIX. 289 

abouts of corps headquarters, without getting anything 
definite, except that it was ahead, rode on. Some five 
hundred yards from these troops the road branched to the 
left, and as it seemed to have been traveled most re- 
cently in that direction, I concluded it was the one taken 
by the corps I was in pursuit of and turned down, having 
inquired of stragglers whom we overtook on the road as 
to how far the corps was ahead, etc., with rather poor 
success. Seeing two mounted men approaching, and sup- 
posing them to be orderlies from some headquarters, I 
thought that at last we should learn something definite ; 
and we did. When within a pace or two, and just about 
to speak to them, you can imagine I was somewhat as- 
tonished at receiving the order, " Halt ! Surrender ! " 
backed by a double-barreled shot-gun and Spencer rifie. 
The road at this point was quite narrow, fenced on each 
side, and although within easy gunshot of our cavalry, it 
was completely hidden from them by a narrow strip of 
woods and a bend in the road. To turn back was to be 
shot, unless a miracle should save us ; to go ahead I 
knew was to Richmond and a rebel prison. However, I 
had little time to weigh the chances, which I thought 
then, as I do now, were in favor of the latter. 

Ordering us to ride on in front at a canter, our captors 
followed at the same gait for perhaps a quarter of a 
mile, when one of them, riding alongside, requested me 
to show him my watch ; this I declined to do and he 
dropped back without a word. After riding a short dis- 
tance further, we turned down a cart-jxith in the woods, 

37 



290 APPENDIX. 

and in a little while met two more of those scouts, as 
they call themselves. Here the individual anxious to 
possess my watch, again came alongside, ordered us to 
halt, and deliberately cocking and presenting a pistol to 
my head, remarked, " Now I'll take that watch." Of 
course I was unable to resist such persuasion as this, so 
handing him the watch I remarked that it was a valuable 
one, and asked him to take good care of it. He assured 
me that he would, and he has — such good care that I 
have not seen it since. These other two had several 
prisoners whom they had captured, among others the or- 
derly of the medical director of our corps, Avho told me 
that the medical director had been captured on the very 
road on which I had been taken, while looking for a place 
to park his ambulances. Although I wished no harm to 
the " Doctor," yet I felt a little better on finding that 
others had gone before on the same road as myself. 

The entire party waited here in the woods for two 
more of their number whom they had left lying in ambush 
on the main road, and whose horses they had in charge. 
It was while thus waiting that I began to realize our situ- 
ation, and a more disagreeable one can hardly be imag- 
ined. I was soaked to the skin by a cold rain, which 
had commenced falling early in the day, and which was 
now pouring down as though we were about to have 
another Hood ; had had nothing to eat since the day pre- 
vious, and though to tell the truth I was not hungry : had 
been relieved of what few valuables I had. as in addition 
to mv watch thev had kindlv consented to take charge of 



APPENDIX. 291 

any stray greenbacks that chanced to be in my pocket- 
book ; and added to all this was the prospect that instead 
of reaching home in a few days as I had expected, a 
dreary and in all probability long conhnement was before 
me. Some of the stories which I had but a short time 
before read in the papers of the horrors of life in Ander- 
sonville and other southern prisons, came fresh to my 
mind and were not encouraging : still, seeing that there 
was no help for it, I resolved to put as good a face on the 
matter as possible. 

After waiting some two or three hours, and finding 
that the dismounted men did not arrive, our captors 
started with us for a point at which it seems they had 
agreed to meet should they get separated. This was the 
house of a poor white farmer whom we found, together 
with his wafe and two daughters, at home. I'hey mani- 
fested very little concern at receiving such a number of 
visitors, and the daughters, both of whom were quite 
pretty, declined to have any conversation with a " A'ank," 
and little with anyone for that matter. The house was 
situated in rear of the new line of our troops, and picket 
firing along the lines could be distinctly heard during the 
greater part of the night. From this circumstance I had 
hopes that some stray party of our forces might discover 
and recapture us ; but towards morning the firing slacked 
and this hope left me. 

About nine o'clock in the evening quite a stir was 
made by the arrival of the expected party with several 
prisoners, mostly sick or stragglers from our forces. One 



292 APPENDIX. 

of them, whose presence gave great joy, as much to me, 
perhaps, just then, as to anyone, was an under-cook of 
an infantry company, with five days' rations of coffee and 
sugar for his company. This was a god-send indeed to 
the party, — cold, wet. and liungry as all were. The old 
farmer and his wife, who probably had not tasted either 
coffee or sugar since the commencement of the war, sud- 
denly remembered that they had a small piece of bacon 
and some sweet potatoes, which they would like to ex- 
change. These were soon smoking on the table, and, 
being an officer, after some deliberation I was invited to 
take hold and help myself. Feeling by this time quite 
hungry, I was not slow in availing" myself of the privi- 
lege. The rest of the prisoners, most of whom had ra- 
tions in their haversacks, had a cup of coft'ee given them. 
After supper I had some conversation with one of our 
guards and learned a little something of them. Their 
regiment was known as Hampton's Legion (South Caro- 
lina), and was attached to Gary's Cavalry Brigade, — on 
duty in the vicinity of Richmond. As they had scouted 
in this part of the country during General McClellan's 
campaign on the Peninsula, and were familiar with all the 
roads, they were now occasionally allowed to go on a 
scout near our lines for the purpose of picking up anv 
information or stragglers, and, unfortunatelv for me, they 
wjre out for this purpose on the 27th of October, 'i'he 
p.vrty numbered six, all pri\ates, though one of them was 
recognized as a sort of leader of the rest, and liis orders 
were generally obeyed without cpiestion. 



APPENDIX. 293 

We quartered during the night in the negro shanties of 
the farmer, two of the party standing guard over us. 
Before sunrise we were on the road to Richmond. The 
weather, though pleasant, for it had cleared during the 
night, was rather cool at that early hour, which made it 
very uncomfortable for us, our clothes not having dried 
much as yet. The course taken I should say was north- 
westerly, and it was the intention of the leader to pass 
through White Oak Swamp, supposing that the right of 
our lines extended to that neighborhood. They all seemed 
perfectly familiar Avith every crook and turn of the roads 
and paths, and from the time we started until we^ struck 
the " Nine Mile Road," near Fair Oaks, having traveled 
certainly fifteen miles, we were not on a main road except 
to cross it. Crossing the railroad at Savage's station 
we were halted. It was then noon, and some of the party 
bargained with the party living there for a peck of sweet 
potatoes, paying forty dollars for them, of course in 
Confederate money. These were cooked in the negro 
quarters, and with a cup of coffee from our cook we made 
a good dinner. This was my last meal outside of a 
prison for nearly four months. 

i\.fter dinner the ma'ch was resumed and we passed 
through the swamp, on emerging from which two scouts 
were observed, who, after considerable signaling, allowed 
us to approach them, being rather suspicious of our blue 
coats. From them was learned the fact, that our forces 
had retired during the night, and that Gary's Brigade had 
followed them. This determined the leader to send two 



294 APPENDIX. 

of the party with us to Richmond, while he with the re- 
mainder rejoined their regiment. I had little to complain 
of from these men, much less than I expected. With 
the exception of my watch and money, nothing was taken 
from me, although I had a gold pin, which to them must 
have been quite valuable, and an entire new suit of 
clothes purchased in Norfolk but a few days before, any 
article of which would have been a welcome addition to 
their wardrobe. As we approached Richmond some care 
was taken bv our guards to avoid passing near any promi- 
nent works ; still we could see that the lines, although 
thinly manned with troops, were very formidable. Fol- 
lowing the "Nine Mile Road," from the point on which 
we struck it, until we had passed through the first line of 
works, we turned to the left over a corduroy road in rear 
of this line, down which we went until near Rocket's 
Landing, a suburb of Richmond, when we passed through 
the second line and arrived at the camp lately occupied 
by Gary's Brigade. Here my orderly and myself were 
compelled to dismount — for we had been allowed to ride 
the entire day — and after some delay we were all marched 
to Libby Prison, arriving there about sundown. 

Just before reaching Rockett"s, my orderly whispered to 
me that he had sixty dollars which one of the men in camp 
had placed with him for safe keeping, and asked me to take 
a part of it. I consented to do so, and he handed it to 
me without attracting the attention of our guard. I sup- 
posed then that the money prisoners had would not be 
taken from them by the prison authorities, but in this was 
wofuUy mistaken. 



APPENDIX. 295 

We were compelled to wait outside of Libby for some 
time, there being other prisoners ahead of us, but were 
fin,ally admitted to the office. Here I had to part from 
my orderly, and it was with many misgivings, for having 
picked him out from among my men as too young and 
light to perform the heavy work required in a battery, I 
scarcely expected that he would survive the fare and 
treatment of a rebel prison ; and, blaming myself, as I did, 
for our capture, I felt that if he should die, his death 
would properly be chargeable to me. 

A record of my name, date and place of capture, etc., 
was entered in a book kept for that purpose, and I was 
sent into another room to be searched for money and anv 
concealed weapons which might be on my person. I'he 
officer having charge of this requested me, if I had anv 
money, to give it up and it would be placed to my credit 
until I was transferred from there, when it would be re- 
turned ; otherwise if on searching any was found, it 
would be confiscated — for whose benefit he did not say. 
I handed him the thirty dollars which my orderly had 
given me, and on assuring him that I had no more, nor 
any concealed weapons, was removed to the officers' 
prison in the next story It might be well to remark that 
somebody still owes me thirty dollars, unless it is consid- 
ered as balancing four months" board, although I think 
that amount, judiciously expended, would have kept me 
four months longer on the same fare, and the balance 
then be in my favor. 

The buildins: known as Libbv is a two storv and a half 



296 APPENDIX. 

brick block, situated in the business part of the city of 
Riclimond, and was built, 1 believe, for a tobacco ware- 
house. It is divided into stores connected with each 
other by double iron doors set in brick partitions. These 
stores have a row of wooden posts, a foot or more in 
diameter, braced so as to sustain immense weight, run- 
ning through the centre in each story. The entire block, 
with the exception of the lower story of the western store, 
which was used as offices and cjuarters for the guard, was 
lilled with prisoners. Officers were confined in the other 
two stories of the west end. Access from the lower to 
the second story was had by means of wooden steps, 
which, after being used, were immediately lowered to the 
floor by a pulley and communication cut off. All glass 
had been removed from the grated windows and canvas 
screens substituted. These being worn and torn, and in 
some cases absent entirely, formed but poor protection 
against the winds, which at this time were quite cool. 
The interior was bare of furniture, excepting a long pine 
table to eat from, and two cast-iron wood-stoves ; for each 
of these we were allowed one armful of wood per day, 
just enough to keep a hre. I don't believe that at any 
time while I was there it would have been uncomfortable 
to sit on either stove on account of heat. How much 
they could impart to a IniiUiing with open windows, for it 
was necessary during the day, at least, to have part of the 
screens down to give us light, can readily be imagined. 
Most of us had to lie on the bare Hoor, though a few for- 
tunate individuals had blankets. These were verv desira- 



APPENDIX. 297 

ble articles, but the owners soon found that they were 
not to be the onl)' occupants, having to share them with 
a little creature, who, although not taking up much room, 
made it quite uncomfortable for his bed-fellows. Still 
with this drawbaciv they were eagerly sought for. I man- 
aged to get a piece of one, lively too, just before leaving 
Libby, but was not allowed to carry it away. 

Reveille was sounded about six o'clock in the morning, 
by a drum band made up from some of our colored sol- 
diers, who were prisoners, and this was followed in about 
fifteen minutes by roll-call. For this we fell in in four 
ranks, and instead of calling a roll we were counted by 
the prison inspector, " Dick " Turner. After counting, 
the rooms were carefully searched and then ranks 
were broken. Any claiming to be sick were examined by 
the inspector, and if he thought necessary sent to hospi- 
tal. Rations were issued shortly after roll-call. They con- 
sisted of a piece of corn-bread about three inches long, 
two wide, and perhaps one inch thick, with a pint of 
what they called bean soup — black beans boiled in water 
and seasoned with a little salt, and, during the six days 
that I spent in this prison, I don't believe that one sound 
bean ever strayed into my ration. The inside of the 
beans had been eaten by small black bugs, who were still 
at work when put in the pot. Many could not eat this 
soup at all, and were forced to subsist on the ration of 
corn-bread. Being blessed with a good appetite, as well 
as a pretty strong stomach, I managed to eat my own ra- 
tions as well as those of some others who required a 

38 



298 APPENDIX. 

gradual breaking in. Nothing more was received until 
three or four o'clock in the afternoon, when the breakfast 
bill of fare was again presented, with sometimes two or 
three ounces of fresh beef as a substitute for the beans. 
I need not say that the substitute was a welcome one. 
Those who had smuggled a little money through were 
enabled to add some tritles to their bill. Searching my 
pockets thoroughly a day or two after my entrance I 
found about a dollar in scrip, which one of the negroes, 
who helped sweep the room, had the kindness to take out 
and get changed into Confederate money, receiving there- 
for five dollars. This I soon invested, buying two onions 
at a dollar each, some rice which I believe was worth 
nearly one dollar per pound, a clay pipe and a pound of 
smoking tobacco — the latter was the only cheap article in 
the Confederacy, the best costing one dollar per pound at 
that time. 

Our only amusements were walking and smoking ; for 
knowing that our stay in Richmond would be short, and 
feeling as all new prisoners will, rather blue, we had no 
ambition to get up any amusements. Those who had 
been proprietors of blankets a short time had something 
to keep them busy an hour or two a day, although it 
could hardly be classed under the head of amusements. 

( )n the e\-ening of the second of November two days' 
rations were issued, and we were informed that sometime 
during the night we would start for a prison depot further 
South. These rations consisted of three or four ounces 
of rotten bacon, so rotten that it might have been eaten 



APPENDIX, 299 

with a spoon, and the smell of which nothing in the world 
ever equaled, a small dried haddock, and the usual allow- 
ance of corn-bread. I have said that I was blessed with a 
pretty strong stomach, but this bacon was too heavy for it, 
and with some difificulty I traded it for more haddock. 
About two o'clock in the morning we were treated to a sere- 
nade by '' Turner's Band." They played but one air, the 
" Long Roll," at which we fell in, were counted, and, with 
the exception of several non-combatants, surgeons and 
chaplains, who were to be paroled, we were marched 
through the deserted streets of Richmond, across the 
bridge to Manchester, where a train of cars awaited us. 
Here we found a large number of enlisted men also tak- 
ing passage. All were carefully guarded, so that to es- 
cape was impossible. It was daylight before all were 
aboard and the train made up. If the members of the 
" Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals " 
could have seen that train they would never complain of 
over crowded cattle cars. These were ordinary bo.x cars, 
with no windows, only two doors, and but one of these 
open, which was protected by a grating, and each car 
was crowded with full sixty human beings. Two guards 
were stationed inside and six on top of each car. As we 
had nothing on leaving Richmond in which to carry 
water, and having eaten quite freely of our dried had- 
dock, our sufferings from thirst soon became intolerable, 
and had the train not stopped occasionally and the guard 
allowed one or two to get water from the ditch alongside 
the track, we would soon have been desperate. We ar- 



300 APPENDIX, 

rived at Danville, Virginia, which it seems was our place 
of destination, during the following night, but were con- 
fined in the cars till daylight. How quickly we obeyed 
the order to turn out, and how good the fresh, cool air 
felt and tasted to us, after twenty-four hours in hot. 
crowded and filth}' cars, no one can know unless placed 
in a similar situation. 

The prisons were not far from the depot, so that it took 
but a short time to march to them. ( )n arriving at the 
door and being admitted it would be difiicult to describe 
our reception. Some three or four hundred men — for 
few, either from their appearance or dress, could be called 
ofiicers — met us at the head of the first flight of stairs 
shouting, " Fresh fish."" " Here they come."" " Don't 
hit him."" " Let his hat alone." " Keep your hands out 
of his pockets,"" and the like. My first impression was 
that we were in a penitentiary and that most of the pris- 
oners were rebel convicts, with a small scattering of 
Union ofiicers, but finding that, notwithstanding the 
noise, nothing happened to us, I began to look about and 
soon discovered several friends ; to one of them, an 
officer of my own regiment, I attached myself, he kindly 
volunteering to show me the ropes. 

The ofiicers" prison was called number three, and. like 
Libby, had evidently been built for a tobacco warehouse. 
The interior was also similar, except, that standing alone, 
it admitted light from all sides. The rooms in which 
prisoners were confined (the second and third stories) 
had windows containing glass, but the lower story, where 



APPENDIX. 301 

two or three sentinels were stationed, and where we were 
allowed to walk during daylight for exercise, had windows 
without glass, and, although boarded up half way, thev 
afforded ample play for the cold winds, which made it 
very uncomfortable lying without blankets on a single 
board tioor, Avith cracks almost wide enough to let us 
through. Our room was heated by two of the oldest 
fashioned cylinder stoves that 1 ever saw, and for fuel we 
had a poor bituminous coal, brought to Danville by canal 
from the interior of the State. When our stock of this 
was exhausted, four of us were allowed to go to the pile 
for more, a distance of nearly a quarter of a mile, under 
charge of two sentinels. It required an hour or two of 
hard work in the frozen dust and slate to till our box, 
which we carried stretcher fashion. These stoves heated 
the room very imperfectly, owing to the poor quality of 
the coal, the thickness of the stoves, the cracks in the 
floor, and the circle that usually congregated around 
them, sometimes four or five deep. This circle was gen- 
erally quite good natured. and hailed the arrival of anyone 
to its inner rank, whether by strategy or otherwise, with 
the shout, "Another man made happy." .A. large number 
seldom visited the inner circle, but managed to keep 
warm, when it was ver}- cold, by moving at a double quick 
around the room, one after another. This was good ex- 
ercise, and when warm we remained so for some time, 
while those who hugged the stove most, were the coldest 
when away from it. 

A sreat varietv of uniforms were observable, few hav- 



302 APPENDIX. 

ing an officer's dress entire. Nearly all had some 
article of grey, and some had full suits ; others had little 
enough of any kind. There being a ready market in our 
guard for anything we had to sell, in the shape of boots, 
clothes, watches, buttons, jewelry, etc., everything of that 
kind that could be dispensed with, and some that could 
not well be. had been disposed of. I had several mer- 
chantable articles, and my friend volunteering to ex- 
change them at current rates. I placed them at his dis- 
posal. A pair of boots brought one hundred and twenty 
dollars : a necktie ten dollars ; and a pair of black kid 
gloves twenty dollars. ( My pants were traded for a pair 
of second-hand shoes and another pair of pants — grey.) 
With the money thus obtained we bought from the guard 
who smuggled them in at night, and probably made a 
handsome profit themselves, a peck of beans at forty dol- 
lars : a peck of Irish potatoes, about the size of walnuts, 
at forty dollars : two or three pounds of salt, which at 
that time cost us but fifty cents a pound, though it after- 
wards touched a dollar ; several pounds of fiour, for 
thickening our bean soup, at eighty cents per pound ; 
this also rose nearly out of sight, costing as high as two 
dollars and a half per pound : and six little red peppers, 
for five dollars, to season with. Having nothing to cook 
in, we bought three shares in a mess-pan, at two dollars 
per share. There were twenty shares in the pan. owned 
by different individuals. Those of whom we purchased 
IkuI run out (jf extra provisions, and hence had no need 
of cooking utensils. ( )ur biu'ing lliree shares gave us a 



APPENDIX. 303 

larger control of the pan and enabled us to crush out 
smaller competitors. 

While these lasted we lived in clover, but " when we 
died we died all over."' They gave out at last, and we 
were forced to sell our shares in the pan to more fortu- 
nate individuals, and fall back on our regulars. 

In cooking beans, they were in the first place hung in 
a tin cup against the stove until boiled sufficiently, then 
taken down into the yard, more water and the potatoes 
added, and with a few chips picked up while out for 
water, boiled until cooked. Chips were rather scarce and 
it cost considerable labor to keep a supply. I have seen 
an officer, who at home had probably never split a piece 
of wood in his life, beg a log which the guard had re- 
jected as too tough and knotty for their axes, and with 
nothing but about six inches of a broken scythe and a 
stone, work all day splitting off enough to cook a cup of 
coffee made from a crust of burnt bread. The rations 
here, as at Libby. were principally corn-bread. Bean 
soup was not so plentiful, nor was fresh beef. I'he day's 
ration of corn bread was always issued in the morning, 
and soup or beef, when we had any. in the afternoon. 

Previous to their arrival at I)an\'ille. the officers had 
been conlined at Salisbury. North Carolina, where they 
were quartered in small houses or barracks. These 
houses each appointed commissaries to draw and issue 
rations to the messes, of which there were several in each 
house. For convenience this organization was still pre- 
served. Rations for all were issued under supervision of 
the commissarv of the entire buildinij. 



304 APPENDIX. 

The cook-house for the prisoners was nearly opposite, 
and could readily be seen from our windows and many 
longing eyes were cast on it. An officer looking out one 
day, when we knew we were to have bean soup, suddenly 
exclaimed, " Don't you see those fat hogs scratching 
themselves against the cook-house fence ? " pointing to 
two or three sickle-backs, of which it is said it takes two 
to make a shadow, who were engaged in the occupation 
peculiar to their race, scratching, an operation which 
most of us indulged in freely. Bean soup was the basis 
of many good jokes ; it was hardly solid enough to be the 
basis of anything else. 

Considerable excitement was raised by the rebel com- 
missary sergeant informing us one morning that we were 
to have pork and beans issued to us in the afternoon. 
Visions of the old-fashioned New England Sunday break- 
fast rose rapidly before us, especially those who had had 
experience with them at home, only to be widely dispelled 
by the reality. At the usual hour " Buckets for soup " 
was called. They were sent out. Their return was 
anxiously awaited by a large number congregated in the 
lower story to get the hrst sight. Bucket after bucket 
came in, presenting the ordinary appearance, until nearly 
twenty — our usual allowance — were before us, when it 
was discox'ered that what had been taken for scum in 
one of the pails was really a piece of pork. It was fished 
out with a stick, and a dozen or so, after weighing it 
carefully in their hands, and looking at it fondh' with 
their eyes, placed its weight at inside of a pound and a 



APPENDIX. 305 

half. What a rich treat for four hundred hungry men. 
However, it was divided into six pieces, one to each 
house. In our house the messes drew lots for it. and the 
end was, one man ate the ration of pork for sixty, and 
lived ; at least that didn't kill him. 

We were allowed plenty of drinking water, which we 
brought ourselves, in the same buckets that were used 
for soup, from a spring some two or three hundred yards 
from the prison, and about the same distance from the 
river Dan, from which the town takes its name. Anyone 
wishing to go for water would procure one or two empty 
pails, and cry out, " Buckets for water,'" which usually 
brought a dozen or more, when the sergeant of the guard 
being informed through a sentinel, would send two of his 
guard with the party, after counting them. 

We were early risers from necessity, the cold forcing 
us up long before nature had satisfied her demand for 
sleep. When the sun had risen and in a measure warmed 
the building, and rations had been issued and eaten, the 
real business of the day was commenced. This was a 
searching examination of every particular seam and 
thread in our clothes, from head to foot, for \-ermin. 
which was plentiful, and from the visitation of wihch 
none were exempt. It would have been a comical sight 
to an outsider to have looked in upon us any pleasant 
morning about nine o'clock — the floor literally packed 
with men, squatted tailor-fashion, studying some article 
of their clothing as intently as ever school-boy studied 
his book. 
.39 



306 APPENDIX. 

For amusements we had chess and checker-playing — 
the men made of wood ; card playing, with one or two 
packs of dirty and hardly legible cards ; smoking, walk- 
ing, laughing, singing, and talking. The latter known 
among us as " chin," was certainly the most prolific 
source of amusement. Any report from the guard, or 
that some one had seen in a rebel paper an article on 
exchange of prisoners, especially if the paper was pro- 
duced, was sufficient to cause the wildest excitement, and 
a buzzing probably as great as that at the building of the 
Tower of Babel. An item of two or three lines often 
formed the basis for a week's " chin." Numbers whiled 
the time away by manufacturing bone-work, of which I 
saw some very beautiful specimens in the shape of rings 
napkin-rings, breastpins, etc., rivalling any made by those 
having all the necessary tools. I tried my hand at mak- 
ing a ring from a piece of bone found in my ration of 
meat, but after rubbing it all one day on a brick, to 
reduce it to the proper thickness, with little visible effect, 
gave up in disgust. Of course in such a large body of 
men, there were some fine singers, who favored us, when 
in the mood, with some excellent singing. That which 
suited me best, was, when some one, after we had lain 
down and were waiting for sleep to come, started " Rally 
Round the Flag," "John Brown," or some other song 
with a good chorus. This would be taken up by the 
whole of us, up stairs and down, and sounded grand, 
even to our rebel guard, who appreciated the music if 
not the words. 



APPENDIX. 307 

There were but few escapes from this prison, and for 
pretty good reasons. We were securely guarded by a 
chain of sentinels, who, during the night, were obliged 
half-hourly to call the number of their post, and "All's 
well." Our distance from the Union lines, the nearest 
point of which it was feasible to attempt reaching being 
Plymouth, North Carolina, and the distance by the roads 
we should have been obliged to take, nearly two hundred 
miles, and the almost total want of boots or shoes, many 
having nothing but the tops of their boots tied on for 
soles, deterred the few who had the opportunity to try. 
Still four or hve made the attempt, and, L believe, with 
success. The road for escape was discovered by acci- 
dent. A number were out for water, and, on returning, 
while stopping to rest, one of the party stepped into a 
wood-shed, in front of which they had halted, to pick up 
some chips. The guard, not noticing his absence, or- 
dered the party to move on, which they did, some one 
picking up his pail. After dark he probably started for 
our lines. The discovery of this road led to the finding 
of another, somewhat similar. In going for water, as I 
have before said, a dozen or so, with one or two pails, as 
they pleased, were allowed to go under two sentinels. 
Between the prison and spring, there was a very steep 
decline of perhaps tw^enty feet, at the foot of wdiich was 
quite a large oven for baking the moulds used in a foun- 
dry alongside for casting shot and shell, and a few feet 
in front of this foundry ran a canal, spanned by a very 
rickety foot bridge, that required all our eyes in crossing. 



308 APPENDIX. 

A prisoner having determined to make tlie trial, would 
ascertain the condition of the oven, and if it had not 
been used, towards night get a party to go for water, hav- 
ing arranged beforehand with them how to manage. On 
passing out some one would attract the attention of the 
sergeant, to prevent counting, if possible, and, having 
fairly started, another would engage the guard in rear in 
conversation, causing him to move slow and scattering 
the party pretty well. The foremost guard on arriving at 
the bridge had all he could attend to while on it, and this 
gave the opportunity to the individual proposing to leave, 
who, handing his pail to a friend, would quietly step into 
the oven before the rear guard arrived at the edge of the 
hill. This mode of escape was not always available, as 
we sometimes had a cross-grained sergeant of the guard 
who persisted in doing his duty and counting us. Of 
course if there was any suspicion among us that we had 
been counted, it was risking the exposure of our plan to 
attempt it. 

Just after dark on the evening of February i6th, the 
commanding sergeant came into our rooms, struck a 
light, and read to us a dispatch from Richmond, to the 
commander of prisoners at Uanville, directing him to for- 
ward next day, one-half his prisoners for exchange, and 
the balance the day after. Most of us had lain down, 
but in an instant everyone was on his feet shouting, 
cheering, laughing, talking, and maybe some crying for 
joy. There was little sleep the remainder of that night — 
once in a while a lull, generally followed by a storm. 



APPENDIX. 309 

The order read one-half the prisoners, and applied to offi- 
cers as well as enlisted men. It was not given out until 
next day how this selection was to be made, and each 
hoped to find himself among the fortunates. In the 
morning the prison adjutant came in and notified us that 
all those whose names were included between the letters 
A and M would go. This put a damper on some of us, 
and made me wish I had been born an Angell, or even a 
Bird ; but we consoled ourselves with the reflection that 
we would be but a day behind. About one o'clock roll 
was called, and on answering to their names, the fortu- 
nates started for the depot, bearing our good wishes. 
Those of us who were left set to work cleaning up a little, 
and, had nearly finished, when we were amazed by seeing 
the entire party return. Nothing was known as to the 
cause, and many surmises were made, the most discour- 
aging of course. Late in the evening an order came for 
all to hold themselves in readiness, followed by the order 
to march to the depot, and, on arriving there, we found 
half a dozen trains waiting. The delay had been caused 
by some accident above Danville, and led to the accu- 
mulation of empty cars enough to accommodate all. Few 
guards were sent with the train, and they paid us little 
attention, allowing us to get on or off as we pleased, and to 
ride on top. The cars, although nearly as crowded as when 
we went down, were thus rendered quite comfortable. 

We arrived at Manchester about noon the next day, 
and, after a delay of several hours, the train crossed the 
bridgre and entered the citv. Here occurred a comical 



3IO APPENDIX, 

scene. The cars no sooner stopped, than all of us, pay- 
ing no attention whatever to the guard, jumped off and 
started for Libby, each anxious to get there first and 
secure a good place. None had any thought to escape, 
yet it was after dark before the entire party were inside 
the walls. A number finding that they were too late to 
secure good positions, spent the time in wandering around 
the city, until warned by darkness and the provost guard 
that it was time to make arrangements for sleeping. 

Next morning, boxes sent by our friends in the North, 
and which had accumulated to the number of nearly a 
hundred, were distributed after an inspection, and Libby 
was at once transformed into a vast cook-house. A 
couple of bricks taken from the walls and placed any- 
where on the floor — there were no chimneys — with a few 
chips split off the boxes, gave us the opportunity to cook 
and eat our first square meal in nearly four months. 
These boxes contained a little of everything, and evi- 
dently reflected the taste of their owners. An old oflicer 
near me had ten or twelve pounds of lard — nothing else ; 
another had all flour, others a variety of everything from 
a ham to a bottle of medicine. Knowing that we should 
remain but a day or two, and determined not to leave 
anything for the Johnnies, quite a general distribution 
took place, those having boxes sharing with their less 
fortunate friends. By eating too much, and from the 
dense smoke of so many fires, numbers were made sick, 
causing quite a run on medicines. Boxes of Spencer's 
pills (genuine too, sent by Mr. Spencer to his son, who 



APPENDIX, 311 

was one of us), castor oil, and other searchers, disap- 
peared rapidly and to good purpose. 

On the 20th we signed our paroles, and on the morn- 
ing of the 2 2d (Washington's birthday) we started for 
Rocket's Landing to take the flag of truce boat, first 
destroying everything belonging to us that was destructi- 
ble and which might prove of any value to the rebels. 
Arriving at Rocket's a boat was found awaiting us, and 
there was little delay in getting aboard, each one seem- 
ingly afraid that he might get left. The day was delight- 
ful, and, moving rather slowly, we had a fine opportunity 
to view the rebel works along the shore of the Tames 
and the several iron-clads at anchor in it. The distance 
from Richmond to Bulwer's Landing, our destination, was 
but about seven miles, though it took an hour to steam 
there. Here was found Colonel Mulford, having charge 
of exchange on the Union side, who held a short conver- 
sation with Colonel Quid, acting in the same capacity for 
the rebels, after which we were allowed to disembark, a 
privilege of which we were not long in availing ourselves. 
No time was lost in making for our picket lines, which 
could be seen a short distance up the hill. All cheering 
was done on the run. I felt like hugging our colored 
soldiers, who composed the picket, and might have done 
so but for the desire to put as great a distance between 
myself and Richmond in as short time as possible. From 
Bulwer's to Aiken's Landing is full two miles, and long 
ones they were to us who were so unused to walking. 
At Aiken's we found our flag of truce boat waiting for us. 



312 APPENDIX. 

Several hours were consumed in bringing over tlie sick 
and the weak in ambulances, during which time we re- 
ceived a serenade from the band of a cavalry regiment. 
I also heard from my battery, which was stationed a short 
distance from the landing, but was unable to visit it. 

Late in the afternoon. Colonel Mulford arriving with 
the last of our men. lines were cast off, and the boat 
steamed clown the James, bound for Annapolis, where 
was located a large parole camp. Here we were detained 
several clays waiting for our " leaves of absence," which 
at last arrived and we started for home. \\'hile walking 
through the streets of Annapolis one morning, I was 
very agreeably surprised at meeting my orderly (carpet- 
bag in hand and bound Xorth ), from whom I had heard 
nothing since parting from him in Libby. He looked quite 
well, and told me that although once detailed with a party 
to go South, he had never left Richmond until paroled. 

This ends the sketch of my four months' experience, 
and I have endeavored to present it without exaggeration. 
That it was short, comparatively, and not very severe, you 
can readily see, and yet it was long and severe enough to 
enable me to form some idea of the suffering of our poor 
fellows at Andersonville and elsewhere. I have not men- 
tioned, nor can anyone who has not himself been through 
some such experience imagine, our sufferings from hun- 
ger. Although the rations were suificient to keep soul 
and body together, yet they never fully satisfied the 
craving for food. This craving showed itself in all our 
conversation and affected all our dreams. 



A SUMMER IN SOUTHERN PRISONS. 



An Account of the Experience of Prinate Charles C. 

Vars, Battery F., First Regiment Rhode Island 

Light Artillery, as a Prisoner of War. 



MAY 1 6, 1S64, I was captured at Drury's P]luff. 
Virginia, while endeavoring to gain the rear after 
the disaster to the Union troops at that point. I was im- 
mediately hurried to the enemy's rear and conducted by 
guards to the James River, placed on board a small 
steamer and taken to Richmond, Virginia. I believe I 
was among the first members of Battery F to enter Rich- 
mond. 

Arriving at the wharf where the steamer landed, we 
were greeted by a large crowd, principally negroes, of all 
ages, sizes and conditions, and, although feeling deeply 
the misfortune which had befallen me, I could but be 
amused at the expressions which came to us from the peo- 
ple there assembled. From the wharf the guard escorted 
us direct to Libby Prison (there were about eleven hun- 
dred prisoners in the party) and quartered us upon the 
third floor of that building, 'llie room was crowded, in 
fact one could scarcely move about. The air was stifling 

40 



314 APPENDIX. 

and offensive, but the prisoners were not allowed to put 
their heads out of the windows, even for the purpose of 
breathing purer air. If they became so bold the guard 
on the outside would immediately use the head for a 
target. 

There were large tubs provided in the room for water, 
which was brought up in pails and poured in, leaving the 
prisoners to get it as best they could. There was never 
food or water enough to satisfy the cravings of hunger 
and thirst. Everything we had about us, except what we 
stood in, was taken, and, as it was never returned, it is 
proper to state that we were robbed. 

I remained in Libby about a week when 1 was, with 
others, marched, under guard of course, to Manchester, 
opposite Richmond, and placed in box freight cars almost 
as thick as we could stand. On each side of the car 
holes about a foot square were cut to let in air. In this 
way and manner we made the journey to Danville, start- 
ing in the forenoon from Manchester and arriving at 
about the same time the next day at Danville. During 
this journey no food or water was given, and a fast of 
twenty-four hours to a man already hungry, in such a 
place, with such poor ventilation and no opportunity to 
sit, caused much suffering. At Danville the party was 
transferred to a large tobacco warehouse, served with two 
hard crackers and a little water, and kept until the next 
morning, when I was again placed on board similar cars 
and started for Augusta, Georgia. 

I'his journey occupied four days and four nights, and 



APPENDIX. 315 

our treatment was worse than on the trip from Richmond 
to Danville. During these four clays and nights I re- 
ceiv'ed for food live hard crackers, and received water 
twice very sparingly. 

One poor fellow died on the trip, and, because of the 
crowded condition of the car, there was not room to lay 
his body down, so it was supported in a corner of the car 
by his comrades taking turns at holding the dead body in 
position. At Augusta, when ordered from the car, the 
body remained, and its treatment thereafter I never knew. 

Two hard crackers and a little water was given me 
at Augusta, and I, with the other prisoners, was crowded 
into a long, narrow shed, where we remained one day, and 
was then placed on the cars again and started for Ander- 
sonville, where we arrived after about twenty-four hours. 

Andersonville prison has been often described. 1 will 
only say that no description seen or heard by me has exag- 
gerated its condition. My first view of the inside of Ander- 
sonville stockade made an impression which will never be 
effaced. I came face to face with the thousands of pris- 
oners who showed the effects of the confinement and 
lack of proper nourishment. Many had not sutficient 
clothing ; hair and beard uncombed and uncut ; many 
without hats or shoes ; all having that hungry, half-starved 
appearance which spoke volumes to us. Close to the en- 
trance I saw one poor soldier lying fiat upon his back and 
nearly naked, who was suft'ering the agonies of dissolu- 
tion. A comrade was soothing his last hours as best he 
could. This scene coming upon me suddenly, in connec- 



3l6 APPENDIX. 

tion Avith the general appearance of the place, caused a 
feeling of despondency and wonder as to what the result 
would be. It seemed to be the deliberate plan of the au- 
thorities to render all prisoners, who by reason of a strong 
constitution were able to retain a hold upon life, unfit for 
further duty, and many a survivor of Andersonville car- 
ries with him constant reminders of life at that prison. 
During my stay at Andersonville I had nine different 
bunk-mates who died from disease and exposures of the 
camp. 

What I now state may seem a pure invention. I confess 
I should hesitate to believe if I had not seen it and en- 
joyed its benefits. One night in September when the 
brook running through the prison was nearly dry and very 
foul, a spring of clear, cool water burst from the hillside, 
thus furnishing the much needed liquid. We were given 
by the prison authorities a V trough for the water to run 
in, which furnished an opportunity for drinking, much 
appreciated by all. So far as 1 know it was a mysterious 
occurrence, and had its effect upon the prisoners. Un- 
doubtedly the pure water saved many lives, or at least 
prolonged them. 

We worked on a tunnel twenty-one days, succeeding in 
reaching the outside, and one night five of us escaped 
through it. As soon as the fact was discovered blood- 
hounds, kept on hand for the purpose, were put on our 
track. I saw them coming on my track and climbed into 
a tree. Of course 1 was caught and taken back to the 
prison. I was placed in the stocks and kept there twenty- 



APPENDIX. 317 

four hours. My sufferings will never be forgotten, and it 
is beyond my power to describe tliem. 

Many liave been the accounts written of Andersonville 
prison, some of them hard to believe, as it would seem 
impossible for human beings to lose all feeling, but I do 
not believe it possible, judging from my own experience, 
to exaggerate the sufferings and horrors of that place, or 
to convey in too strong language the utter disregard for 
human life which the prison authorities seemed to possess. 

Sherman's movements in Georgia in the fall of 1864 
made it necessary for the rebels to abandon Anderson- 
ville and transfer the prisoners to other points. I was 
placed in a tight box car with other prisoners and taken 
to Savannah, and from there to Charleston. South Caro- 
lina, and placed in the prison yard under tire of the L'nion 
batteries shelling the city. Here we were kept for ten clays, 
and it is remarkable that so few casualties occurred. Our 
food was principally cob-meal in small quantities. 

From the prison yard we were transferred to the race- 
course near the city, where we were kept a week in the 
open air without covering of any kind. From the race- 
course we were marched to the cars again and trans- 
ferred to Florence, South Carolina, where a new prison 
pen had just been completed and we were its first occu- 
pants. This prison was built very like the one at Ander- 
sonville. the situation being similar, with a brook running 
through it. but the area of the pen was much less. 

While at this prison overtures were made to the prison- 
ers to enlist in the Confederate service and thus secure 



3l8 APPENDIX. 

clothing and food. Many of them did so enlist, and some 
who did were soon brought back, for what reason I do not 
know. I have no doubt some of the prisoners took advan- 
tage of the offer for the purpose of deserting and getting 
back to the Union lines, and perhaps that was the reason 
so many who did enlist were returned to the prison. 

The treatment of the prisoners at Florence was no 
improvement on that of Andersonville. The dead line 
rule was enforced here with great severity, and many 
were shot by the guards for going too near the line. 

I remained in Florence about two months, when I 
was so fortunate as to be one of about one thousand se- 
lected for parole. We were loaded on cars and taken to 
Charleston, S. C, leaving Florence about sunset one 
night and arriving at Charleston about the same time the 
next night, and were huddled together on a wharf, where 
we remained through the night. Two of our number 
died on the cars coming from Florence, and one on the 
wharf that night. We did not sleep, but watched with 
anxiety for the morning. Some were much excited with 
anticipations of what the morning would bring forth, 
some were crying, some praying, and some singing. It 
was a night never to be forgotten, and no one outside of 
that party can realize the feelings of the men as they 
shivered in their rags through the long hours and watched 
for the dawn of morning. During the forenoon of the 
the next day we were taken in row-boats to the Union 
vessels, one man dying near me while making the passage. 
As we boarded one ship each was given a suit of cloth- 



APPENDIX. 319 

ing, not much attention being paid to the fit of the same, 
and we were ordered to another vessel, where we washed, 
threw away our old rags, and put on the new suit. After 
completing our toilet we were placed on board the George 
Peabod}\ which immediately sailed for Annapolis, Mary- 
land. In the four days we were on this vessel occurred 
some fifty deaths. Arriving at Annapolis I was taken to 
hospital, where I remained about two weeks, and was 
then given a furlough. 

At Annapolis the doctors charged that we be very care- 
ful about eating, and watched the food very closely, but 
in spite of all these warnings men who had starved for 
many months could not resist temptation. I suffered for 
an imprudence in this line for which I nearly lost mv life. 
I could not resist eating a piece of mince pie, which for a 
time made me feel that my end had come. 

Taking my furlough, I started for my home in Niantic, 
Rhode Island, where I arrived without accident and went 
to my home. I was so changed in appearance as not to 
be recognized at first, and upon making myself known re- 
ceived, of course, a welcome as of one risen from the dead. 

The effects of starvation, exposure, and the awful 
scenes witnessed during my prison life of eight months 
will never be overcome in this life, and from a stout, rug- 
ged country boy, as I was when I enlisted, I came from 
the service a broken down, almost entirely wrecked 
physically, human being, and never e.xpect to fully re- 
cover from its effects, and I never can blot out the remem- 
brance of days in southern military prisons. 



INDEX, 



Abbott, Col. Henry L., First Connecticut Artillery, i66. 
Abbott, Gilbert W., 233. 

Abel, Capt. W. H., Assistant Adjutant-General, 100. 11 1, 169. 
Abrahams, Thomas E., Co. G. One Hundred and Thirtv-Xinth 

New York Volunteers, 123, 124, 12S. 
Adams, Lieut. Albert E., 85, 86, 153, 188. 
Allen, Dexter B., 207. 
Allen, Col. William A. (C. S. A.), 69. 
Almy, Otis, 233. 
Amorj, Col. Thomas J. C, Seventeenth Massachusetts \'olun- 

teers, 98. 
Angell, Capt. James R.. Battery K., Third New York Artillery, 

225, 245. 
Arnold, Col. Stephen C, Mechanics Rifles, 245. 
Arnold, Lieut. William A., 7, 69, 85. 
Ashbv, Capt. George E., Battery E, Third New York Artillery, 

161, 162, 169, 175, 186, 187, 245. 
Austin, Allen, 231. 

Bailey, Col. Charles E., Private Secretary to Gov. Smith. 112. 

Baker, Charles H., 2;^Ti- 

Barker, Capt. Thomas E., Twelfth New Hampshire N'olunteers, 

170. 
Barnard, Maj. -Gen. John G., 191. 
Barnes, Daniel W., 165. 

41 



322 INDEX. 

Bassett, Philip L., 43. 

Bastian, William J., 237. 

Baten, Nathan H., 2^2. 

Baxter, Henry H., 28. 

Beauregard, Gen. G. T. (C. S. A.), 155, 179, iSo, 1S6, 194. 

Bedee, Capt. Edward E., Twelfth New Hampshire Volunteers, 

169. 
Belger, Capt. James, 8, 9, id, 16, 31, 44, 45, 55, So, S6, 98, icx), 

no, 116, 153, 156, 157, 162, 166, 187, 188, 221, 23S, 240, 241. 
Bicknell, Jesse B., 238. 
Birney, Maj.-Gen. D. B., 172, 222. 
Boyd, William A., 233. 

Boyle, William J., First New York Mounted Rifles, 124. 
Bragg, Maj -Gen. Braxton (C. S. A.), 179. 
Brooks, Capt., Provost Marshal, Yorktown, 126. 
Brooks, Brig.-Gen. W. T H., 173, 174. 
Brown, Capt. T. Fred., Battery B., F'irst Rhode Island Light 

Artillery, 213. 
Burnham, Brig.-Gen. Hiram, 174, 179, 185, 223, 225. 
Burnside, Maj.-Gen. Ambrose E., 15, 21, 40, 41, 44, 203, 213. 
Burr, Calvin C, 65, 237, 246. 
Butler, Maj.-Gen. Benjamin F., 26, 99, 100, 132, 133, 138, 147, 

149, ii;o, 152, 188, 1S9, 190, 196, 200. 
Butterwortii, John, 62. 

Chambers, Lieut. -Col. John G., Twenty-third Massachusetts 

Volunteers, 88. 
Chase, Frederic, 8. 
Chase, Lieut. James E., Battery B, First Rhode Island Light Ai>- 

tillery, 213. 
Chase, Philii> 15, 3. 
Chase, Philip S., Corporal, 8; Lieutenant, 86, 106, 107. 153, 189, 

199, 207, 221. 231, 238. 
Church, Joseph, Jr., 165, 2^2. 
Churcii, William C. M., 7. 



INDEX. 323 

Clark, James P., 166, 237, 246. 

Clingman, Brig.-Gen. T. L. (C. S. A.), 68. ' 

Colquitt, Brig.-Gen. A. H. (C. S. A.), 179. 

Corthell, Elmer L., 7. 

Crabb, Lieut. George W., Battery A, Fifth United States Artil- 
lery, 244. 

Cunningham, James, 2;^t,. 

Connecticut troops mentioned : 
Eighth Infantry, 174, 1S6. 
First Artillery, 171, 20S. 

Dahlgren, Col. Ulric, 14S, 149. 

Daley, David, 157, 165. 

Danforth, Ozias C, Jr., 21,1,. 

Davies, Brig.-Gen. H. E., 147. 

Davis, James C, 165, 167. 

Davis, Jefferson, 120. 

Davis, Maj. R. S., Assistant Adjutant-General, 100, 132, 169. 

Draper, Benjamin H., S, 42. 

Duffy, Hugh, 233. 

Duffy, Patrick, 246. 

Duffy, Peter, 233. 

Duncan, Colonel, Fourth United States Colored Troops, 129, 

145 • 
DuPont, Admiral S. F., 70, 71. 

Easterbrooks, Svlvestei", 157, 165. 

Eddy, Ephraim R., 232. 

Egan, John, Co. A, Second New Hampshire Volunteers. 134, 

136, 139' 14O' 14I' 14-- 

Elder, Capt. Samuel, Batterj' B, First I'nited States Artillery, 
166, 244. 

Ercambrack, Lieut. Lorenzo, Batter\' K. Third New York Artil- 
lery, 242. 

Eshleman, Col. B. F. (C. S. A.), iSo, iSi. 



324 INDEX. 

Fairgrieve. Lieut. James, Acting Assistant Adjutant-General, 

134- 
Field, Lieut. George W., 7, 9, 23, 34, 37, 85. 
Fish, Bennett L, 246. 

Fleming, Capt. James, Provost Marshal, 120, 13S, 140, 141, 142. 
Follett, Capt. F. M., Battery D, Fourth United States Artillery, 

163, 164, 197, 19S, 199. 
Foster, Major B. B., iVssistant Adjutant-General, 98. 
Foster. Maj.-Gen. J. G., 36,40, 54, 55, 58, 59, 60, 61, 68, 70, 71, 

72, 73, 77, 78, 81, 82, 98, loi, 102. 
Fuller, George H., 43. 

Gage, George S., 246. 
Gage, Isaac N., 8, 65, 231. 
Gallup, Simeon, 8, 233. 
Gavitt, James P., 62. 
Gillmore, Maj.-Gen. Q. A., 152, 171. 
Golden, Michael, 166, 224. 
Goldsborough, Flag Officer L M., 19. 
Graham, Lieutenant, Acting Aide-de-Camp, 65. 
Graham, Isaac, 165, 233. 

Grant, Gen. U. .S., 151, 191, 196, 200, 222. 223. 
Graves, Lieut E. E., 167. 
Greeley, Horace, 56. 
Grinnell, Albert, 232. 
Grinnell, Benjamin H., 233. 

Guild, Charles E., Sergt., 8, 237: Lieutenant, 238, 241, 246. 
Georgia troops mentioned : 
Seventh Cavalry, 84. 

Hagood, Brig.-Gen. Johnson (C. S. A.), 155, 161, 180, 181, 182 

185, 186. 
Haley, Mark, 233. 
Hall, Henry, 157, 165. 
Halleck, Maj.-Cien. II. W., 59, 70, -ji, loi, 102, 103, 132. 



INDEX. 



525 



Hammond, George, S. 

Hancock, Maj.-Gen. W. S., 201. 

Handell, Chandler N., 238. 

Harbert, Maj. S. ^^, Paymaster United States Armv, 96, 97. 

Harrison, Joseph R., 233. 

Hasbrouck, Lieut. H. C., 244. 

Hazard, Maj. John G., 213. 

Hazard, Commander Samuel F., 19. 

Heckman, C. A., Colonel Ninth New Jersey N'okinteers, 64: 

Brigadier-General, S3, 86, SS, 100, 109, m, 156, 160, 163, i8,-. 
Hill, Captain, First New York Mounted Rifles, 129. 
Hill, Maj.-Gen. D. H. (C. S. A.), 25, 76, 78. 
Hinks, Maj.-Gen. Edward W., 197. 
Hinton, Colonel (C. S. A.), 94. 

Hoke, Maj -Gen. R. F. (C. S. A.), 179. i8o, iSi, 1S4, 1S5, 1S6. 
HoUoway, Benjamin A., 2^;^. 
Holmes, Maj. .Gen. T. H. (C. S. A.), 25. 
Holt, Henry, 139, 140, 141, i^j. 
Hopkins, Perez A., 224. 
Horton, Alonzo C, 28. 
Horton, Henry R., 207. 
Horton, Lieut. Jere, Twenty-fourth Massachusetts \'oluntecrs, 

245. 
Howell, Capt. John H., Third New York Artillery. 244. 
Howlett, Doctor, 164. 

Hunt, Lieutenant, Fourth United States Artillery, 14S. 
Hunter, Maj.-Gen. D. A., 71, 72. 

Ives, Capt. Thomas P., 21. 

James, Capt. Martin S., Third Rhode Island Artillery, 197. 
Johnson, Maj.-Gen. Bushrod R. (C S. A.), i6x, 180, 181, 1S3, 

1 86. 
Johnson, Gen. Joseph E. (C. S. A.\ 24. 
Jones, Capt. Enoch, Third New \'ork .\rtillery. 244. 



326 INDEX. 

Kaiitz, Maj.-Gen. A. V.. 223. 

Kavanagh, Michael, 2;^^. 

Keach, Charles, 233. 

Keeble, Col. R. H., Twenty-third Tennessee Infontrj (C. S. A.), 

183, 1S6. 
Kilpatrick, Maj.-Gen. Jiidson, 143. 144. 145, 146, 147, 14S. 
King, Charles T., 227. 
King, James M., 2^^. 
Knight, Walter M., 7. 

Leach, Albert C, 233. 

Lee, Col. H. C, 6S. 

Lee, Gen. Robert E. (C S. A.), 222, 223. 

Lemons, William, Co. E, Ninth New Jersey \'olunteers, 65. 

Leslie, Col. J. 11., Third New York Artillery, 68. 

Lewis, Lieut. -Col. George W., Third New York Cavalry, 87, 

131- 
Lilly, Isaac, 233. 
Locke, Thomas W., 2t,2. 
Loid, Solomon, 8. 
Loomis, Captain, 90. 
Love, Henry .V., 43, 2^^. 

Macomber, Frederick D., 157, 158, 165, 232. 

Manchester, George C, 62, 2^^. 

Marshall, Col. J. K. (C. S. A.), 68. 

Marston, Brig. -Gen. Gilman, 115. 

Martin, Patrick, 237, 246. 

Martindale, Benjamin F., 8, 42. 

Massie, Alexander M., 7, 65. 

McCabe, Patrick, 165. 

McCarty, Michael, 2^^. 

McCavanagh, John, 166. 

McConkey, John, 45. 

McDonald, Lieut. A. J., I'iflh United States Artillery, 245. 



INDEX. 327 

McGuiie, John, 166. 

Meade, Maj.-Gen. Geo. G., loi, 103, 151. 

Miller, Seth B., 2t,t,. 

Miner, Joseph, 246. 

Mix, Col. S. H , Third New York Cavalrv, 94. 

Moies, Capt. Miles G., 6. 

Morris, Thomas, 2^2. 

Maryland troops mentioned : 

Fifth Infantry, J 15, :;36, 240. 
Massachusetts troops mentioned : 

Third Infantry, 63, 75. 

Seventeenth Infantry, 64, 65, Si, S7. 

Twenty-third Infantry, 87, 88. 

Twenty- fourth Infantry, 60. 245. 

Twenty-fifth Infantry, 102. 

Forty-third Infantr_\-, Si. 

Nickerson, George IL, 207. 

Nisbit, William, 62. 

Nye, Henry E., 23S. 

New Hampshire troops mentioned : 

Second Infantry, 115, 134, 136, 139. 141. 

Fifth Infantry, 115. 

Twelfth Infantry, 115, 177, 187, 1S9. 
New Jersey troops mentioned : 

Ninth Infantry, 63, 64, 65, 86, 109. 
New York troops mentioned : 

Eighty-first Infantry, 87. 

One Hundred and Thirty-ninth Infantry, 123, 124. 

One Hundred and Forty-eighth Infantry, 125. 

First Mounted Rifles, 129, 130, 143, 228. 

Third Cavalry. 44, 66, 74, 87, 94, 102, 105, 106, 131. 

Third Artillery, 55, 58, 69, 102, 105, no, 125. 12S, 216, 225, 
227, 242, 244, 245. 

Seventh Battery, 193, 244. 



328 INDEX. 

New York troops mentioned : 

Sixteenth Battery, 125, 23S, 241. 

Seventeenth Battery, 20S, 212. 

Twenty-third Battery, 58. 

Twenty-fourth Battery, 58. 
North Carolina troops mentioned : 

Fifty-first Infantry, 69. 

Fifty-second Infantry, 69. 

Ord, Maj.-Gen. E. O. C, 215, 223, 243, 244. 
Owen, Maj. W. M. (C. S. A.), iSi, 1S3, 1S5, 186. 

Parke, Maj.-Gen. John G., 41. 

Parker, George W., 2^^. 

Peck, Maj.-Gen. John J., 99, 102. 

Perrin, Lieut. William S., Battery B, First Riiode Island Light 

^Vrtillery, 213. 
Perrj', \'alorus N., 233. 

Pettigrew, Brig.-Gen. J. J. (C. S. A.), 76, 78. 
Phillips, William J., 207, 246. 
Peirce, James M., 233. 
Plaisted, Colonel, 164. 

Pope, Lieut. Charles II., 5, 6, 8, 9, 41, 49, 85. 
Prentice, Frank, 8. 
Price, James R., 224. 

Prince, Brig.-Gen. Henry, 73, 74, 75, 79. 
Prospert, John II., 246. 
Prudhomme, Lieut. Lucien F., 90. 
Pennsylvania troops mentioned : 

Forty-eighth Infantry, 214. 

Eleventh Cavalry, 90, 129, 145. 

First Light Artillery, 12S, 226. 

Randall, Daniel L., 232. 

Ransom, Maj.-Gen. M. \V. (C. S. A.), 90, 91, 160, 179, 180, 181, 
182, 183, 185. 



INDEX. 329 

Regan, Capt. P. C, Seventh New York P.atter.v. -'44. 

Reno, Maj. -Gen. Jesse L., 40. 

Reynolds, Capt. Stephen R., 126, 137, 139. 

Rhodes, Capt. William J]., 213. 

Richmond, Capt. Le\vis, 30. 

Richmond, Col. S. P., 75. 

Rock^vell, Capt. A. P.. First Connecticut Light Baltei\ . 171. 

Rogers, Benjamin II., 8. 

Rogers, Daniel (i., 165, 232. 

Rogers, James, 246. 

Rhode Island troops mentioned : 

Fourth Infantry, 22, 36. 

Third Heavy Artillery, 197. 

Fifth Heavy Artillery, 36. 82. 

First Light Artillery, 213. 

Sabin, Lieut. William A., Third Rhode Island Artillery, 171, 
190. 

Sanger, Lieut. I. P., First United States Artillery, 171. 

Saunders, Lieut. James W., Twelfth New Hampshire Infantry, 
169. 

Saunders, William R., 2^^. 

Sayles, John W., 246. 

Schmid, I. Casper, 165, 217. 

Seeley, Capt. Israel, Assistant Adjutant-General, 171. 

Sheldon, George H., 233. 

Sheridan, Maj. -Gen. Philip H., 222. 

Sherman, Maj. -Gen. William T., 151. 

Simpson, Thomas, Lieutenant, 2, 7, 9, 44, 69, 74, 80, Si, S3, 8;;, 
86,92, 117, 145, 153, 156, 162, 167, 170, 178, 187, 191, 197' 
203, 207, 221, 227, 230, 231, 238, 241 : Captain, 242. 245, 246^ 

Sisson, Col. Henry T., Fifth Rhode Island Heavy Artillery, 82. 

Slocum, Elisha A., S. 

Smith, Ed. W., Assistant Adjutant-General, 172. 
Smith, Maj. -Gen. Gustavus W. (C. S. A.), 68. 
42 



T,n INDEX. 

Smith, Gov. James v., n::- 

Smith, James II., 233. ^ r . ,q^ 

Smith, Lieut.-Col. M.B., Eighth Connecticut Infantrv, i;4- ^^(^■ 
Smith, Peter C, Sergeant, 7> §5; Lieutenant, S6. 88, 94- H5> 

148, li^s, 188, 207, 221, 238. 
Sjiaith, Lieut. Robert B., Sixteenth New York Battery, 238, 241. 
Smith, William H. C, S. 

Smith, Maj -Gen. William F., 15^, 160, 173^ 185, i97- -oo, .01. 
Smith, William M., 237, 246. 
Spear, Col. S. B.. Eleventh Pennsylvania Cavalry, 125, 1.9, I3i> 

145, 147. 148- 
Spencer, Alfred B., 67. 
Spencer, Lieut. Gideon, 246. 
Spinola, Brig.-Gen. F. B., 79- 8°- 8I: S3. 
Stannard, Brig.-Gen. George J., 223. 
Stevens, Colonel, 223. 
Stevenson, Col. Thomas G., 55- f«- ^^8. 
Stuart, Brig.-Gen. J. E. B. (C S. A.), 25. 

Stone, Clovis, 177, 207, 224, 233. 

Straight, Joseph L., 16. 

Sweet, Matthew, 8, 232. 

Sykes, Darius W., 233. 

Terry, Maj. -Gen. Alfred H., 245. 
Tompkins, Col. Charles H., 6. 
Tennessee troops mentioned : 
Twenty-third Infantry, 1S6. 

United States troops mentioned : 
Fourth Cavalry, 115- 
First Artillery, 244. 

Fourth Artillery, 148, i54' '97' -o^'' -i-' -'^' --^-^• 
Fifth Artillery, 208, 244, 255. 
Fourth Colored Troops, 129, 143. 
I'iflh Colored Troops. 143. 



INDEX. 331 

United States troops mentioned: 
Sixth Colored Troops, 143. 
Twenty-second Colored Troops, 144. 

Vars, Charles C, 166, 178. 

Vincent, James, 237, 246. 

Vincent, Thomas M., Assistant Adjutant-General, 100. 

Voorhees, Surgeon, 125, 127. 

Waddv, Col. (C. S. A.), 1S3. 

Walker, Albert R.. 165, 2t,^. 

\\'alton, Henrj, 21,^. 

Waterman, Lieut. Frank A., 246. 

Weitzel, Maj.-Gen. Godfrey, 149, 160, 163, 167, 173, 174, 190, 

-43- 
W^ells, Lieut. Daniel F., 2^2. 
^^'est, Gardner N., 199, 2^^. 
West. Col. R. >L. First Pennsylvania Light Artillery, 125, 12S, 

144- 145- 147- 
Wetherell, Maj, Samuel, Eleventh Pennsylvania Cavalry, 90. 
Wheaton, Levi S., S. 

Wheelan, Major, First New York Mounted Rifles, 130. 
Vv'hite, Charles E., 2^^. 
White, William, 246. 
Whitham, Benjamin, 166. 
Whitman, Charles, 224. 
Whittaker, John, 2;^^. 
Wilbur, John B. ¥., 23S, 246. 
Wilbur, Thomas E.. 246. 
Wilcox, Edward. 2^7,. 
Wilcox, Frederic. 165, 2^^. 
Wilcox, Holder N., 4. 
Wild, James, 224. 
Wilkie, Ilenry C, 224, 2;:^;^. 
^Villiams, Brig. -Gen. Thomas, 26. 



332 INDEX. 

Wilson, James, 237, 246. 

Winsor, John O., 233. 

Wistar, Brig. -Gen. IsaacJ., 117, 120, 122, 125, 132, 133, 134. 137, 

139, 140, 156, 163, 165, 168, 169, 170, 171, 174, 179, 1S5. 
Wood, Albert S., 23S. 

Woodbury, Capt. G. T., Fourth New Jersey Battery, 171. 
Wisconsin troops mentioned : 

Second Battery, 115, ii6. 

Yates, Governor (of Illinois), 149. 
Young, William II., 233. 



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